In a landmark 2025 development, Odisha and Delhi have formally joined the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), bringing the world’s largest health insurance scheme to nearly all Indian states. This expansion, coupled with surging digital adoption via eSanjeevani telemedicine and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), is transforming preventive and curative care through AI integrations and seamless health records.
Glimpse:
Odisha and Delhi’s integration into AB-PMJAY via MoUs with the National Health Authority extends cashless coverage up to ₹5 lakh per family annually to millions more, reducing out-of-pocket expenses. Digital milestones include over 43 crore eSanjeevani tele-consultations (57% women beneficiaries) and 84 crore+ ABHA accounts with tens of crores of linked records. AI tools enhance disease surveillance, diabetic retinopathy screening, and TB management, marking robust growth in India’s digital health ecosystem.
2025 has proven transformative for India’s flagship health insurance program, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), as Odisha and Delhi signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Union Ministry of Health, integrating into the scheme and covering the majority of states nationwide. This expansion addresses long-standing gaps, bringing cashless, paperless hospitalization benefits to underserved populations and aligning with the vision of universal health coverage.
The inclusion of these states amplifies AB-PMJAY’s reach, offering up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care at empanelled hospitals. In Odisha, the scheme converges with the state’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (G-JAY), enhancing benefits like higher coverage for women. Delhi’s onboarding similarly boosts access in the capital, complementing efforts to replace or integrate prior local models.
Parallel digital advancements have redefined healthcare delivery: eSanjeevani, the national telemedicine platform, surpassed 43 crore free tele-consultations, with 57% benefiting women and enabling specialist access in rural/remote areas reducing travel burdens and bridging urban-rural divides.
Under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), over 84 crore ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) IDs have been generated, with tens of crores of health records linked (including 80.66 crore total linkages reported). This interoperable ecosystem supports seamless sharing of medical data, faster claims, and fraud reduction.
AI integration has emerged as the next frontier Tools like the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) linked to eSanjeevani, AI-driven screening for diabetic retinopathy, disease surveillance under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, and advanced TB detection/management are enhancing precision and outcomes.
These strides collectively lower out-of-pocket expenditures, promote preventive care, and empower patients through digital empowerment solidifying India’s position in technology-led public health.
“The year 2025 saw the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme expanding its footprint to Odisha and Delhi, growth in digital healthcare delivery with the government focusing on deepening the use of new-age technologies like AI in public health delivery.”
By
HB Team
