India has launched initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) card and the Ayushman Bharat card to improve healthcare access and affordability. Both are part of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, but they serve different purposes. Let’s explore the unique features of each card.
What is the Ayushman Bharat Card?
The Ayushman Bharat Card, also known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) card, was launched by the Indian government in 2018. The primary objective of this health card is to provide affordable healthcare services to individuals who possess it. In essence, the Ayushman Health Card offers financial security for healthcare expenses.
Ayushman Health Card beneficiaries are entitled to healthcare services worth up to 500,000 rupees annually in both public and private hospitals across the country. Notably, the Ayushman Health Card also covers pre-existing diseases.
Benefits of Ayushman Bharat Card
- All family members are eligible for coverage under this scheme, regardless of the family size.
- Families are entitled to a maximum of 5 lakh rupees per year for hospitalization costs.
- Beneficiaries can avail of cashless treatment at network hospitals nationwide, both public and private.
- The coverage extends to pre-hospitalization expenses for up to 3 days and post-hospitalization expenses for up to 15 days.
Check out more about Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission here.
What is an ABHA Health ID Card?
The Indian government introduced the ABHA Health ID card in 2021. This card contains a 14-digit unique digital health identification number that stores a person’s complete health information.
The primary goal of this health ID card is to establish a comprehensive digital health record for every Indian citizen. It serves as a digital health account accessible to individuals across the nation. Further, ABHA ID can be shared with healthcare providers outside the country who can access patient’s data with their consent and provide the required services or benefits.
Benefits of Ayushman Bharat Health Account
As per the government data, ABHA health ID has been used by over 50 crore individuals across the nation. The number of registrations is increasing with the growing popularity.
Health facilities like hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, and other healthcare service providers are using ABHA for patient registrations. The numerous benefits associated with the card are as follows:
- The ABHA health ID card stores detailed health and medical history and reduces the burden of paper trail.
- Each citizen receives a unique digital health ID and health document number.
- It improves efficiency and accountability within the healthcare system.
- The ID is available for all family members providing family coverage.
- It provides healthcare providers with real-time health data for better diagnosis and treatment and supports evidence-based treatment.
- ABHA health ID can be used for remote healthcare services through web and mobile-based telemedicine facilities.
- It is compatible with Ayushman Bharat, and individuals can still be members of the Ayushman Bharat scheme even after obtaining an ABHA card.
How to create an ABHA Number?
- Visit: https://abha.abdm.gov.in/abha/v3/
- Click on Create ABHA number.
- Select the method you want to proceed with, i.e., via Aadhar card or driving license.
- Fill out all the details.
- Select the declaration box and click on ‘Next’.
- Enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
- Re-enter the mobile number for confirmation.
- Enter the communication details.
- Your ABHA address will be created.
Difference Between ABHA Health ID and Ayushman Card
Features | Ayushman Bharat Card | ABHA Card |
Purpose | It provides the financial coverage for hospitalization to eligible individuals. | It contains the unique digital health identity that can be used for record-keeping. |
Coverage | It provides financial coverage of 5 lakh per family per year of hospitalization. | This card does not provide any health coverage but rather stores comprehensive health information. |
Eligibility | It is available for the economically weaker sections identified under socio economic caste census data 2011. | It is available to all Indian citizens. |
Nature | Health insurance scheme. | Digital health identifier. |
Issuing Authority | Ayushman Card is issued by National Health Authority. | ABHA health ID is issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. |
Enrollment | The Ayushman Bharat card is mandatory for the beneficiaries. | The enrollment for the ABHA card is optional. |
Conclusion
While these two initiatives have distinct purposes, they can work in tandem to provide a comprehensive healthcare solution. For instance, an individual with an Ayushman Bharat card can use their ABHA card to share their medical history with healthcare providers, ensuring accurate diagnosis and treatment.
By combining the financial security of Ayushman Bharat with the digital health benefits of Ayushman Bharat Health Account, India aims to build a robust and efficient healthcare system for all its citizens.
