Eight years after its launch, Ayushman Bharat has grown into one of the world’s largest health assurance schemes, covering 60 crore beneficiaries and funding treatment worth Rs 2 lakh crore.

The numbers mark a major milestone for the flagship programme, which was designed to shield poor and vulnerable families from catastrophic health expenses that push millions into debt every year.

Scale of the achievement

With 60 crore people covered, the scheme reaches a population larger than that of most countries. The Rs 2 lakh crore in treatment authorised under the programme reflects the sheer volume of hospitalisations it has funded — from routine surgeries to complex, high-cost procedures.

For millions of families, the scheme has meant the difference between getting treated and falling into debt. Hospital bills that once pushed households below the poverty line are now covered cashlessly at empanelled hospitals across the country.

How the scheme works

Ayushman Bharat provides health cover for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation, with beneficiaries able to access cashless treatment at a wide network of public and private hospitals.

The programme’s portability — allowing beneficiaries to seek treatment in any state — has been one of its defining features, particularly for migrant workers who move across state lines for employment and would otherwise fall through the cracks of state-run schemes.

Health economists credit the scheme with one of the largest expansions of financial protection in the country’s history. Studies of earlier years have shown reduced out-of-pocket spending among beneficiary households, though experts caution that utilisation rates still vary widely across states and that awareness remains the biggest lever for future growth.

The road ahead

As the scheme enters its ninth year, the focus is shifting from enrolment to deepening impact: better hospital quality, faster claim settlements and wider awareness so that every eligible family actually uses its entitlement.

Challenges remain — from fraud prevention to ensuring rural hospitals are adequately equipped — but the eight-year numbers show a programme that has fundamentally changed how India finances healthcare for its poorest citizens.