Context

The Centre recently announced a plan to create a unified card that can be used to avail benefits of both the central government-run Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY as well as the health insurance schemes run by state governments individually.

About

What is in the new plan?

• The government is in the process of generating new cards that will have both the central and state government logos, and ‘Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna-Mukhya Mantri Yojna’ imprinted on them to suggest the unification.
• It will be a unified card that will be called Ayushman Card. 
• Aim: To ease confusion for citizens about which schemes apply to them.
• As part of the new arrangement, eligible beneficiaries of any of the government insurance schemes will be able to get coverage at any of the 25,000 empanelled hospitals under the central scheme.

Ayushman Bharat programme:

• The Ayushman Bharat programme was launched in the year 2018.
• The prime concern of this program was to address health issues at all three levels – primary, secondary, and tertiary. This program has two components:
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
  • Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)
• PM Jan Arogya Yojana beneficiaries get an e-card that can be used to avail of services at an empanelled hospital, public or private, anywhere in the country.