Ayushman Bharat Card 2026: Eligibility, Benefits & How to Apply Online (PMJAY Complete Guide)
- What Is the Ayushman Bharat Card?
- Key Benefits of Ayushman Card
- Who Is Eligible for Ayushman Card?
- Rural Families (Any ONE Condition)
- Urban Families (Any ONE Occupation)
- Quick Eligibility Check
- Documents Required for Ayushman Card
- How to Apply for Ayushman Card via EasyKagaz
- Step 1: Check Eligibility
- Step 2: Submit Documents
- Step 3: OTP Verification
- Step 4: Card Delivery
- What Does Ayushman Card Cover? (Treatment List)
- How to Use Ayushman Card at Hospital
- Ayushman Card for Senior Citizens (AB-PMJAY Extended)
- Common Questions
- Why Apply Through EasyKagaz?
- Don't Leave ₹5 Lakh of Free Coverage Unclaimed
Medical emergencies don't come with a warning — and in India, a single hospital stay can push an entire family into debt. The government's Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) solves this by providing ₹5 lakh free health insurance per family per year at over 30,000 empanelled hospitals across India.
Yet crores of eligible families still don't have their Ayushman card. If you or your family earns below a certain income threshold, chances are you qualify — and you're leaving ₹5 lakh of free coverage on the table.
What Is the Ayushman Bharat Card?
The Ayushman Bharat card (also called PMJAY card, Ayushman Gold Card, or AB-PMJAY card) is your gateway to cashless treatment at government and private hospitals. It covers:
- Hospitalisation expenses — room charges, nursing, ICU
- Pre-hospitalisation costs — diagnostics, medicines (up to 3 days before admission)
- Post-hospitalisation costs — medicines and follow-up (up to 15 days after discharge)
- 1,929+ medical procedures — including surgeries, cancer treatment, heart bypass, knee replacement, dialysis, and more
Important: The ₹5 lakh coverage is per family per year, not per individual. However, there is no cap on family size — all members listed on your ration card are covered.
Key Benefits of Ayushman Card
- ₹5 Lakh Free Treatment: Cashless coverage at 30,000+ hospitals across India — both government and private.
- No Premium Required: Unlike private health insurance, there is zero premium, zero deductible, and zero co-payment.
- Covers Pre-Existing Diseases: All pre-existing conditions are covered from Day 1. No waiting period.
- Portable Across India: Your card works in any empanelled hospital in any state — not limited to your home state.
- Covers Entire Family: Parents, spouse, children — every family member on your ration card gets coverage.
- 1,929+ Procedures Covered: From cataract surgery to cancer chemotherapy, cardiac bypass to joint replacements.
Who Is Eligible for Ayushman Card?
Eligibility is based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. You are eligible if your family falls under any of these categories:
Rural Families (Any ONE Condition)
- Household living in kutcha house (one room with kutcha walls and roof)
- No adult member aged 16-59 years in the household
- Female-headed household with no adult male member (16-59)
- Household with a disabled member and no able-bodied adult
- SC/ST households
- Household with no literate adult above 25 years
- Landless households earning majority income from manual labour
- Destitute / living on alms
- Manual scavenger families
- Primitive tribal group households
- Bonded labour families
Urban Families (Any ONE Occupation)
- Domestic workers, street vendors, cobblers
- Construction workers, plumbers, painters, welders
- Sweepers, sanitation workers, gardeners
- Transport workers — drivers, conductors, rickshaw pullers
- Shop workers, assistants, peons, delivery workers
- Electricians, mechanics, repair workers
- Washermen, chowkidars, couriers
Quick Eligibility Check
Not sure if you're eligible? There are two easy ways to check:
- Online: Visit mera.pmjay.gov.in → Enter your mobile number → Enter OTP → Search by name or ration card number
- Via EasyKagaz: Simply share your Aadhaar number or ration card on our Ayushman Card service page, and we'll verify your eligibility within minutes — free of charge.
Documents Required for Ayushman Card
Keep the following documents ready:
- Aadhaar Card of all family members to be covered
- Ration Card (APL/BPL/Antyodaya) — used for family verification
- Mobile Number linked to Aadhaar (for OTP verification)
- Passport-Size Photo of the primary applicant
- Income Certificate or BPL certificate (if applicable)
- Caste Certificate (for SC/ST category — if applying under SECC deprivation criteria)
Tip: If you don't have an Income Certificate or Caste Certificate, EasyKagaz can help you get those too! Check our Income Certificate and Caste Certificate services.
How to Apply for Ayushman Card via EasyKagaz
Step 1: Check Eligibility
Visit the Ayushman Card page on EasyKagaz. Enter your Aadhaar or ration card number. We'll instantly verify if your family is listed in the PMJAY beneficiary database.
Step 2: Submit Documents
Upload your Aadhaar card, ration card, and a recent photo. Our team reviews and formats everything to match government requirements.
Step 3: OTP Verification
Complete Aadhaar-based OTP verification. This links your Ayushman card to your Aadhaar for secure, paperless authentication at hospitals.
Step 4: Card Delivery
Your Ayushman Bharat e-card is generated and delivered via WhatsApp within 2-3 working days. A printable PDF version is also provided that you can carry to any hospital.
What Does Ayushman Card Cover? (Treatment List)
The PM-JAY scheme covers 1,929+ medical packages across 27 specialities. Here are the most commonly used treatments:
| Speciality | Treatments Covered | |---|---| | Cardiology | Angioplasty, bypass surgery, pacemaker implant | | Orthopaedic | Knee replacement, hip replacement, spine surgery | | Oncology | Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, tumour surgery | | Ophthalmology | Cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment | | Nephrology | Dialysis (up to 12 sessions), kidney transplant | | Neurosurgery | Brain tumour surgery, spinal cord procedures | | General Surgery | Appendectomy, hernia repair, gallbladder removal | | Obstetrics | Normal delivery, C-section, pregnancy complications | | Paediatrics | Newborn ICU, congenital heart defect repair | | ENT | Tonsillectomy, cochlear implant, sinus surgery |
How to Use Ayushman Card at Hospital
- Visit any empanelled hospital — check the list at hospitals.pmjay.gov.in
- Show your Ayushman card at the Ayushman Mitra desk (present in every empanelled hospital)
- Aadhaar verification — biometric or OTP-based authentication
- Get treated — the hospital bills the government directly; you pay ₹0
Note: You can find the nearest empanelled hospital by calling the Ayushman helpline: 14555 (toll-free).
Ayushman Card for Senior Citizens (AB-PMJAY Extended)
In the 2024 budget, the government extended Ayushman Bharat coverage to all citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of income. This means:
- No income limit for senior citizens above 70
- Separate ₹5 lakh cover — additional to existing family cover
- Same hospitals, same procedures — no separate card needed
If you have elderly parents or grandparents, this is a game-changer. Apply through EasyKagaz and we'll handle the entire process.
Common Questions
Q: Is Ayushman Card completely free? A: Yes, the government does not charge anything for the card. EasyKagaz charges only ₹149 for assisted application, eligibility verification, and doorstep card delivery.
Q: Can I use Ayushman Card in private hospitals? A: Yes! Over 15,000 private hospitals are empanelled under PM-JAY. You get fully cashless treatment at both government and private hospitals.
Q: What if my name is not in the beneficiary list? A: If your family was missed in the SECC 2011 survey but you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply through your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC) or through EasyKagaz. We'll help you file the inclusion request.
Q: Can I get Ayushman Card if I already have private insurance? A: Yes. Ayushman Bharat is a government entitlement, not commercial insurance. You can hold both. In fact, Ayushman can act as secondary coverage for expenses your private policy doesn't cover.
Q: Is the card valid across all states? A: Yes. PM-JAY is a national scheme. Your card works at any empanelled hospital across all 36 states and UTs.
Q: How do I add new family members to my Ayushman Card? A: New members (newborn baby, newly married spouse) can be added by updating your ration card first, and then applying for their Ayushman card. EasyKagaz handles both processes.
Why Apply Through EasyKagaz?
- ✅ Free eligibility check — know your status in 2 minutes
- ✅ Document formatting — we ensure zero rejection due to wrong documents
- ✅ Fast processing — card delivered in 2-3 days vs. 7-15 days at CSC
- ✅ WhatsApp delivery — digital card sent directly to your phone
- ✅ Family coverage — we apply for all eligible members in one go
- ✅ Expert support — call or WhatsApp us anytime for hospital-related queries
Don't Leave ₹5 Lakh of Free Coverage Unclaimed
Every year, lakhs of eligible families miss out on life-saving treatment because they don't have an Ayushman card. Don't let your family be one of them.
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