Itanagar: The state health agency, in collaboration with the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) and the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) district administration, recently conducted a comprehensive verification drive to create health cards under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY to beneficiaries across the ICR.
The drive, that commenced at the Government Middle School in Papu Nallah on March 11 concluded at the Government Middle School in Lekhi on March 30 last.
Over 1,100 eligible beneficiaries were verified during the drive, highlighting the active involvement of various stakeholders.
IMC ward corporators, local ward members, youth groups, and the ASHA network played a pivotal role in identifying beneficiaries and raising awareness in their respective areas.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and the state’s flagship scheme, Chief Minister Arogya Arunachal Yojana (CMAAY), provide health assurance coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year.
However, despite the significant coverage potential, only 52,698 out of the targeted 98,844 families have been verified so far, indicating a need for increased efforts to reach more beneficiaries.
Districts such as Upper Subansiri, Tawang, Papum Pare, and Changlang have the highest number of eligible beneficiary families, while Lohit, Upper Siang, and East Siang lead in beneficiary saturation, with over 70% of families verified.
A state health agency official said ensuring the saturation of beneficiary identification is crucial for the effective implementation of the programme.
“Patients from Arunachal seeking treatment in hospitals located outside the state that are empanelled under AB PM-JAY are eligible to obtain benefits of the scheme. However, due to non-verification and unawareness, they may bear hospitalization expenses out of their own pocket,” the official said, adding that it is essential to verify every eligible beneficiary under the scheme and provide them with Ayushman cards, enabling them to avail the benefits without any financial burden.
The State Health Agency is actively conducting eKYC of eligible beneficiaries in all empanelled hospitals across the state. A dedicated team of district programme coordinators and Arogya Mitras have been facilitating the implementation process across the state.
Additionally, the Ayushman App is available for beneficiaries to search and self-register, and a toll-free number (18002335558) is also available for queries if any.
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