How to Apply for Ayushman Bharat Card Online (2026): Beneficiary NHA Portal, e-KYC & Senior Citizen 70+ Cover

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), formulated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and administered by the National Health Authority (NHA), is the world's largest government-funded health assurance initiative. It provides secondary and tertiary cashless hospitalization cover of up to ₹5,00,000 per family per financial year across more than 29,000 empaneled public and private hospitals nationwide, covering over 1,949 surgical and medical procedures without any out-of-pocket expenses.

Universal Expansion: ₹5 Lakh Health Cover for All Senior Citizens 70+

In a major policy expansion approved by the Union Cabinet, the National Health Authority launched universal health insurance for all citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of family income, economic tier, or caste. Key features of this vertical include:

• Distinct Dedicated Card: Senior citizens aged 70+ receive a specialized card (Ayushman Vay Vandana Card).
• Independent ₹5 Lakh Annual Top-Up: For families already covered under PM-JAY, members aged 70+ receive an additional, exclusive top-up of ₹5 Lakh per year that is not shared with younger family members.
• Zero Income Exclusion: Senior citizens belonging to middle-class, upper-middle-class, or high-income brackets are fully eligible. The only prerequisite is attaining 70 years of age as per UIDAI Aadhaar records.
• Choice for Existing Scheme Holders: Senior citizens who already hold Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or state employee schemes can choose to either continue with their existing scheme or switch to AB PM-JAY.

Who is Eligible Under Standard Socio-Economic PM-JAY?

For citizens under 70 years of age, eligibility is determined automatically based on deprivation categories identified in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC 2011) and updated National Food Security Act (NFSA) state ration card databases:

• Rural Deprivation Categories: Families living in one-room kutcha houses, households with no adult male member aged 16-59, female-headed households with no adult male member, disabled members with no able-bodied adult, SC/ST households, and landless manual casual labor households.
• Urban Occupational Categories: Ragpickers, domestic helpers, street vendors, construction workers, plumbers, masons, painters, transport workers, sanitation workers, shop workers, and daily wage artisans.
• State NFSA Ration Card Beneficiaries: In most states (e.g., UP, MP, Gujarat, Maharashtra), holding an active Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or Priority Household (PHH) ration card with 6+ family members qualifies the family automatically for Ayushman cards.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Apply & Download Ayushman Card Online

The National Health Authority has retired the legacy BIS 1.0 system and now operates the unified NHA Beneficiary Portal (beneficiary.nha.gov.in) and the Ayushman App on Google Play Store:

How Cashless Treatment Works at Empaneled Hospitals

To avail free treatment, visit any empaneled government medical college, district hospital, or accredited private hospital and report to the Ayushman Mitra Kiosk at the reception desk. Present your physical Ayushman Card or digital ABHA ID alongside your Aadhaar card. The Ayushman Mitra initiates an electronic pre-authorization claim on the hospital's Transaction Management System (TMS). Upon pre-authorization clearance, all diagnostic tests, bed charges, surgeries, medications, and post-discharge medicines for up to 15 days are covered 100% cashless.

For hospital empanelment lists, claim procedures, and ABHA linkage, explore our detailed Ayushman Bharat Card Guide and Hospital Discharge Summary Guide.