Proposal To Merge CGHS With Ayushman Bharat: In a bid to provide more hospital options for patients, the government is considering allowing Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries to avail treatment at hospitals empaneled with the flagship Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY). Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) are being integrated by the National Health Authority (NHA) (ABDM).
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Purpose Of Merger
This is aimed at creating digital health identification of CGHS beneficiaries and storing their digital health records, thus ensuring quick treatment to the needy. About 100 million health records have been connected to ABDM so far in this.
CGHS
CGHS was started in 1954 with the aim of providing comprehensive healthcare to central government employees and pensioners and their dependent family members. More than 4.1 million beneficiaries are now served by the scheme throughout 75 cities.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to develop the framework required to sustain the country’s integrated digital health infrastructure. It will bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.
Using their 14-digit Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number, citizens can view and manage their medical records digitally. It creates comprehensive medical history across healthcare providers with citizens sharing relevant health records with ABDM-registered healthcare providers digitally.
Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY)
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is a national public health insurance fund of the Government of India that aims to provide free access to health insurance coverage for low income earners in the country. Roughly, the bottom 50% of the country qualifies for this scheme. People using the program access their own primary care services from a family doctor. When anyone needs additional care, then PM-JAY provides free secondary health care for those needing specialist treatment and tertiary health care for those requiring hospitalization.