The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) has established a 16-member expert committee to evaluate the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The committee, led by Vinod Kumar Paul, Member (Health) of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, includes key stakeholders from various sectors, including government officials and representatives from prominent private healthcare institutions like Apollo Hospitals and Yashoda Super Specialty Hospitals.
Committee’s Mandate and Objectives:
- Review Roles: Examine the roles of central and state governments in executing the AB-PMJAY.
- Analyze Progress: Assess the scheme’s effectiveness in beneficiary identification, hospitalization processes, and ensuring equity in access to healthcare services.
- Implementation Models: Evaluate the trust, insurance, and hybrid models used to implement the program.
- Scheme Integration: Consider how AB-PMJAY can be integrated with other health programs to expand and converge beneficiary-based services.
- Financial Assessments: Review package pricing, the inclusion of diagnostics and drugs, and strategies to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
- Quality and Payments: Look into payment mechanisms, hospital grading, and incentives for delivering quality care.
- Prevent Misuse: Recommend measures to avoid misuse of the scheme and ensure its sustainable operation.
- Digital and Physical Infrastructure Integration: Link the AB-PMJAY with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs).
About AB-PMJAY:
- Scope and Launch: Launched in September 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ranchi, Jharkhand, AB-PMJAY is the world’s largest health assurance scheme. It aims to provide health coverage of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to poor and vulnerable families.
- Components: The scheme is a part of the broader Ayushman Bharat initiative, which also includes Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) alongside PM-JAY.
The committee is tasked with submitting its findings and recommendations within 45 days from its formation, setting a rapid timeline for potentially impactful healthcare reforms in India.
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