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NFHS survey: Health insurance coverage rises, officials credit Ayushman Bharat
coverage in the rural sector is higher at 42.4%, and urban areas, 38.1%
Summary findings from the fifth edition of the National Family Health Survey, released Wednesday showed a 12.3 percentage point increase over the previous edition of the survey in the coverage of health insurance to 41% of households surveyed, an indication of the impact of the government’s flagship Ayuhsman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-Pmjay), that was launched in September 2018.
AB-Pmjay, the world’s largest public health insurance programme was launched on September 23, 2018, to provide up to ₹5 lakh hospitalisation cover to 100 million poor families in the country.
NFHS-5 was conducted between 2019-2021,in two phases; the fourth edition of the survey captured data between 2015-16.
“The increase that is seen is substantially on account of the impact of Ayuhsman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna,” said Vikas Sheel, additional secretary and mission director, National Health Mission, Union ministry of health and family welfare, commenting on the survey results.
“However, it may not have been fully captured in the current survey; more impact will be visible in going forward,” he added.
Preparations for the next survey are on currently.
“The survey will happen in 2022 and the results are expected in 2023-2024, by that time full impact of Pm-jay will be adequately captured as the scheme has now stabilised and various states have taken it up and are addressing the challenges,” added Sheel.
Interestingly, coverage in the rural sector is higher at 42.4%, and urban areas, 38.1%.
A government official familiar with the numbers said that this is because the target population for the scheme is largely rural.
Experts agree that the increase in the insurance coverage is because of the introduction of AB-pmjay.
“That is best explanation,” said Dileep Mavalankar, director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar.
“However, one needs to also see what is the eligible population under Pm-jay as the coverage might not go up furtheronce the target is met. The government should look at expanding the insurance scheme somehow,” he added.
