Despite most Ayushman Bharat hospitals being government-run, over half of treatments and two-thirds of costs occur in private hospitals. Since 2018, 9 crore treatments worth Rs 1.29 lakh crore have been provided. The scheme’s digital mission has linked 50 crore health records.
Despite most empanelled hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) being government-run, beneficiaries are predominantly using the scheme at private-sector facilities and at higher costs. According to the National Health Authority’s latest annual report, of the 31,005 hospitals enrolled under the scheme, only 45% are private, yet they account for 52% of the 9.19 crore hospitalisations recorded since the scheme’s launch in 2018. These treatments amount to Rs 1.29 lakh crore, with nearly two-thirds (66%) of the expenditure occurring in the private sector.
The scheme, aimed at providing universal health coverage and reducing out-of-pocket expenses, has facilitated over nine crore treatments nationwide. The most commonly availed procedures include haemodialysis — accounting for 14% of all cases — followed by treatment for fevers (4%), gastroenteritis (3%), and animal bites (3%). The leading specialities accessed in 2024–25 were general medicine, ophthalmology, and general surgery.
Portability has been a significant advantage, allowing patients to seek care outside their home state. Chandigarh recorded the highest in-migration for treatment at 19% of all portability cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh (13%) and Gujarat (11%). Conversely, Uttar Pradesh also saw the highest out-migration (24%), with Madhya Pradesh (17%) and Bihar (16%) following.
Progress has also been made under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Since its launch in 2021, over 50 crore health records have been linked, and around 60% of India’s population now holds an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number. Additionally, 3.8 lakh health facilities (38% of the total) and 5.8 lakh health professionals (26%) are registered on the digital platform.
Overall, the findings indicate Ayushman Bharat’s growing role in enabling financial protection by covering treatments largely delivered by private providers, thereby reducing household health expenditures.
