Mint Explainer | How West Bengal will benefit from the Ayushman Bharat health assurance scheme

West Bengal officially joined the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on 8 June, marking the complete nationwide rollout of India’s largest health assurance program. The scheme, launched in September 2018, now covers up to ₹5 lakh per eligible family annually. West Bengal was the last state to adopt it, following directives from Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal, who prioritized stalled public welfare schemes after the new BJP government took office on 9 May. The inclusion of West Bengal benefits approximately 60 million people across 14.3 million families, including 12.4 million vulnerable households and 306,000 families of frontline healthcare workers. Around 1.6 million families of senior citizens aged 70 and above will also receive coverage regardless of socio-economic status. The scheme’s national portability ensures migrant workers—estimated at 5-10 million, primarily from Malda, Murshidabad, and Nadia districts—can access treatment across India without geographic restrictions. Previously, West Bengal’s local health cards lacked validity outside the state, forcing patients to travel to hospitals in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and other cities for specialized care. Many faced financial strain, as out-of-pocket expenses were required for treatments. The Ayushman Bharat card now eliminates these barriers, allowing seamless, cashless transactions at empanelled facilities nationwide. Sunil Barnwal, CEO of the National Health Authority, outlined immediate steps to integrate West Bengal into the scheme, including deploying digital frameworks for paperless transactions and verifying beneficiaries. Local hospitals are being onboarded to expand coverage, while Ayushman cards are being issued to eligible families. The move aims to address infrastructure gaps and ensure smooth implementation across the state. The scheme’s adoption follows a decade of rising healthcare challenges in West Bengal, including a surge in medical tourism due to limited local facilities. By providing universal health coverage, AB PM-JAY is expected to reduce financial burdens on families and improve access to essential medical services.