Ayushman Card
Illness never comes without warning and when it comes, it brings with it not only physical pain but also financial problems. Even today, there is a large section of people in India who hesitate to climb the hospital stairs due to the fear of expensive treatment. To end this fear and to provide health security to every needy, the Central Government had started ‘Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana’ (PMJAY). It is considered to be one of the largest health schemes in the world.
Often this question arises in the minds of people that how many times can one go to the hospital in a year through this card? Or if the limit of Rs 5 lakh is reached, when will the money be added again? Come, let us understand the answers to all these questions today, so that you or someone you know can take full advantage of this scheme in times of need.
After all, what is Ayushman card?
Ayushman card is not just a piece of plastic, but a health guarantee of up to Rs 5 lakh for a poor family. The main objective of this scheme of the Central Government is to ensure that no one’s treatment is stopped due to lack of money. Through this card, the beneficiary can get his treatment done in any empaneled government or private hospital across the country.
The most important thing is that this facility is completely ‘cashless’. That is, the government bears all the expenses of the patient from hospitalization to operation, medicines and discharge. The patient or his family members do not have to spend even a single rupee from their pocket nor do they have to stand at the billing counter of the hospital and bargain. Just show the card and the treatment starts. This scheme is no less than a lifesaver for those families who used to get trapped in debt trap due to major illness.
How many times can treatment be done in a year?
Now coming to the most commonly asked question, “How many times can we use this card in a year?” The direct answer is that there is no restriction on ‘Frequency’ on this card, the restriction is only on ‘Amount’.
The government provides a security cover of Rs 5 lakh annually to every eligible family. Whether you use this Rs 5 lakh in one go or ten times in a year, it completely depends on your disease and need of treatment. For example, if a patient underwent a minor operation at the beginning of the year in which Rs 50 thousand was spent, then the balance of Rs 4.50 lakh will be left in his card. He can use this amount for the treatment of some other disease in the remaining months.
What will happen when the limit is reached?
Many people are worried that if the card limit is reached or the year is over, will they have to apply again? Or will any fee have to be paid for renewal? Actually, the system of Ayushman Bharat scheme is very modern and automatic.
However, you have to keep in mind that this limit of Rs 5 lakh is for an entire ‘financial year’. If the entire Rs 5 lakh is spent in one go on the treatment of any serious disease, then you will not be able to avail the benefit of free treatment through this card for the rest of the year. In such a situation, the patient will have to wait for the next financial year or bear the cost of treatment himself.
Along with this, the process of ‘renewal’ in this scheme is completely automatic. As soon as the new financial year starts, i.e. on 1st April every year, your Ayushman card wallet is automatically topped up. A new limit of Rs 5 lakh is again added to your card by the government. For this, the beneficiary neither has to visit any office, nor has to fill any form nor has to pay any fee.
Get your Ayushman card made sitting at home like this
If you are eligible and your Ayushman card has not been made yet, now this process has become much easier than before. In this era of technology, the government has opened both online and offline avenues.
- Online Method: You can apply yourself sitting at home through the official website of Ayushman Bharat Scheme or ‘Ayushman App’. Here you will have to fill your Aadhaar details and other information. After OTP verification, your card is generated, which you can immediately download and save in your mobile.
- Offline Method: People who are not comfortable with technology can visit their nearest Jan Seva Kendra (CSC) or Community Health Center (CHC). The officer present there (Arogya Mitra) will check your eligibility. If your name is in the list, your documents will be verified and your card will be handed over to you after completing the process within some time.
You don’t even need to worry about finding a hospital. By visiting the official portal, you can enter the name of your district or city and see the list of all the hospitals where this card is accepted. Health security is the biggest need today, so having correct information about this scheme is very important for the future of you and your family.