Ayushman Card Eligibility: Who Gets ₹5 Lakh Free Treatment and How to Make the Card
What does the Ayushman Bharat card give you?
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), run by the National Health Authority, gives free hospital treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year at empanelled government and private hospitals. It is cashless: the hospital is paid by the scheme, not by you. There is no limit on family size. The Ayushman card (often called the golden card) is how the hospital identifies you.
Ayushman Bharat: rules and official linksEligibility, documents and where to apply.Open →Ayushman card eligibility: who can get it?
PM-JAY is not open to everyone by income alone. Families qualify in one of these ways:
| Route | Who it covers | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| SECC list (rural) | Families listed by the SECC deprivation criteria | Search your name on beneficiary.nha.gov.in |
| SECC list (urban) | Families in the listed urban occupation groups, such as many street vendors and workers | Search on beneficiary.nha.gov.in |
| Added by your state | Families states add, often through ration cards | Search with your ration card on the portal |
| Vay Vandana card | Everyone aged 70 or above, whatever the income | Enrol with Aadhaar e-KYC |
Many states also run their own health scheme alongside PM-JAY and cover more families under it. Maharashtra’s Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, for example, gives cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year and runs together with PM-JAY. If you are not on the central list, ask your state health scheme office.
Ayushman card for 70+ senior citizens: who is covered?
The Ayushman Vay Vandana card extends PM-JAY to every senior citizen aged 70 or more, regardless of income. It gives free hospital treatment up to ₹5 lakh a year. If the family is already on PM-JAY, members aged 70+ get an extra ₹5 lakh top-up that they share among themselves.
Seniors already on CGHS, ECHS or CAPF health schemes can choose between that scheme and this one. Enrolment is in the Ayushman app or on beneficiary.nha.gov.in with Aadhaar e-KYC, or at an empanelled hospital or Common Service Centre.
Ayushman card kaise banaye?
- Check whether you are eligible on beneficiary.nha.gov.in or in the Ayushman app, using your Aadhaar or ration card.
- If your name is there, make the card with Aadhaar e-KYC in the app. You can also get it made at a Common Service Centre or at an empanelled hospital.
- Keep your Aadhaar, ration card and a working mobile number ready; these are the usual documents.
- Download or save the card.
- At the hospital, go to the Ayushman Mitra desk with your card and Aadhaar before admission.
TipMaking the card is free. If someone at a shop or on WhatsApp asks for money to “approve” your Ayushman card or add your name to the list, do not pay. The list is decided by the scheme, not by agents.
How to use the Ayushman card in hospital
- Use an empanelled hospital. The app and portal show which hospitals near you are on the scheme.
- Go to the Ayushman Mitra desk first. They verify your identity and get the treatment approved under the scheme.
- The ₹5 lakh limit is per family per year, shared by all members on the card.
- If a hospital asks you to pay for a covered treatment, ask the Ayushman Mitra for help and keep the bills.
- Carry your Aadhaar and the card, or the card saved on your phone, every time. The hospital checks your identity against the scheme record before treatment starts.
- Both government and private hospitals can be empanelled, so check the hospital list in the app before you choose where to go for a planned treatment, and ask the hospital desk if you are unsure.
Watch outThis guide explains the scheme, not medical choices. Whether a treatment is covered is decided by the scheme and the hospital at the time of admission. In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital first.
What if my name is not on the Ayushman list?
If you are under 70 and not on the list, you may still be covered by your state’s own health scheme, so ask the state health scheme helpdesk or a government hospital. Jan Aushadhi Kendras sell quality generic medicines at much lower prices to everyone without any card, and free delivery and newborn care under JSSK at government hospitals need no card either. Our scheme finder shows the health schemes that fit your family.
| Your situation | What to try |
|---|---|
| Under 70, name not on the PM-JAY list | Your state’s own health scheme; ask at a government hospital |
| Aged 70 or more | Ayushman Vay Vandana card, whatever your income |
| Pregnant, or a baby under one year | Free care at government hospitals under JSSK; call 102 or 108 for free transport |
| Need regular medicines | Jan Aushadhi Kendras for low-cost generic medicines, no card needed |
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the Ayushman card?
Families on the PM-JAY list (SECC deprivation criteria in rural areas, listed occupation groups in urban areas, and families added by states, often through ration cards), and every person aged 70 or above through the Vay Vandana card, whatever their income.
Is there an income limit for the Ayushman card?
PM-JAY is based on the listed families, not a simple income limit. For people aged 70 or more there is no income condition at all: every senior of that age can get the Vay Vandana card.
How much treatment is covered?
Up to ₹5 lakh per family per year, cashless, at empanelled government and private hospitals. Families with members aged 70+ get an extra ₹5 lakh top-up for those members.
Can I make the Ayushman card on my phone?
Yes. If you are eligible, you can make the card with Aadhaar e-KYC in the Ayushman app or on beneficiary.nha.gov.in. A Common Service Centre or empanelled hospital can also help.
Is there a fee to make the Ayushman card?
The scheme does not ask you to pay anyone to be added to the list. Do not pay agents who promise to approve your card or add your name; check eligibility only on the official portal or app.
Sources
- National Health Authority (AB PM-JAY)
- PM-JAY beneficiary portal: check eligibility and make the card
- MJPJAY official site, Govt of Maharashtra
- Janaushadhi official site
Last checked: . Rules, amounts and dates change. Please confirm on the official website before you act.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Eligibility is decided by the department that runs each scheme, and amounts and rules change. Apply only on official portals, at your gram panchayat, Anganwadi or a Common Service Centre, and never pay an agent to get a scheme.