In the Indian movies of the 1970s and 1980s, ailing parents were always cited as one of the reasons for youth taking to robbery or smuggling. This alibi perhaps may not work in modern films because of the recent decision of the Government of India to extend the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to all citizens above 70 years.
The ability to avail better healthcare facilities has been one of the key differentiators for the rich and the poor. Though several progressive states rolled out free healthcare for vulnerable groups, the Ayushman Bharat is by far the largest such exercise which could be availed by every senior citizen, who crossed 70 years, without restrictions.
While Ayushman Bharat is essentially a health insurance, it is slightly different from traditional insurance products as it takes the household as a unit. If there are two persons in a household aged above 70 years, each person will have an insurance cover of Rs 2.5 lakh. Though this insurance cover will not be sufficient to meet the hospitalisation costs of senior citizens, it will at least provide basic healthcare facilities.
This move coupled with the IRDAI’s decision in April to lift the age-related ceiling for health insurance products addresses one of the critical needs of the society. In an era of nuclear families and rising life expectancy, social security issues such as post-retirement pension and healthcare have become major anxieties for people — in some cases driving them to adopt corrupt practices to build a retirement corpus.
By relaxing the age-limit for health insurance products and the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the government has taken major steps for people’s welfare. As logical, the government should focus on improving healthcare and diagnostic facilities in rural areas, which have one of the lowest doctor-patient ratios in the world.
