Ayushman Bharat – A poor man’s key to world class private healthcare facilities

Bridging the gap between money and healthcare, Ayushman Bharat is amongst the schemes that have given a new direction to India. The National Health Protection Scheme, which will cover 10 crore families, will provide a coverage of up to Rs 5 lakhs per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

Multiple schemes rolled out by the Centre in the past have been focused on maternal health, child health and communicable diseases. With the launch of Ayushman Bharat, the remaining areas such as diabetes, hypertension, lung disorders, common cancers, and more will also be covered.

What makes this scheme stand out of the crowd is that it brings private hospitals within the reach of the needy. The high-end machinery and state-of-the-art facilities will no longer be only accessible to people with bundles of money in their pockets.

The government’s primary aim with this scheme is to bring about a holistic change in the healthcare system. Covering approximately 50 crore people, it gives everyone an equal chance to avail first-rate conveniences at private hospitals.

According to Hindustan Times, there is one government doctor for around 10,000 people in the country. The statistics are worrisome and pose a serious challenge. The introduction of Ayushman Bharat, and the incorporation of private hospitals will therefore, empower the masses. Not only will it make healthcare accessible, but will also change the statistics that are a leading cause of untimely deaths in the country.

The scheme, which will be implemented in private hospitals from September 15, 2018, will cover 35 hospitals in the initial phase. Some of the major names included in the list are Bhanot Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Dayal Eye Center, Kathuria Hospital, Tirath Ram Hospital and more.

With access to private hospitals, and the understanding of how healthcare is important, the beneficiaries will now be able to identify the problems in the initial stages. Regular medical check-ups which were heavy on the pockets of rural India, will now be easily obtainable.

The nationally portable insurance scheme will let the lower income group walk into notable hospitals without having to worry about the payments. Procedures like removal of gall bladder stones, coronary stent and others will be easily done without having to wait for the beds to be available. It is time that healthcare now defies the boundaries of class and is accessible to all.