Jharkhand Introduces Digital Health Cards, Moves Towards Rs 15 Lakh Ayushman Cover

The announcement was made during a one-day orientation programme under the Ayushman Bharat-Mukhyamantri Abua Swasthya Suraksha Yojana and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

Jharkhand has announced the rollout of digital health cards for Ayushman beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and is preparing to raise health cover to Rs 15 lakh.

Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the new digital cards will enable faster patient verification, reduce manual documentation, and ensure continuous treatment across government and private empanelled hospitals.

The initiative is being implemented alongside the state's push to expand financial coverage under the Ayushman-Abua health scheme to increase protection to Rs 15 lakh.

Ansari said, "Strengthening the Abua health card is also a key priority to ensure quality healthcare reaches every household in Jharkhand."

The announcement was made during a one-day orientation programme under the Ayushman Bharat-Mukhyamantri Abua Swasthya Suraksha Yojana and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

The programme also recognised several hospitals for their high performance under Ayushman Bharat. Ranchi Sadar Hospital was declared among the top-performing hospitals in the country, and the Koderma Sadar Hospital, Medanta, and Raj Hospital were given awards for providing continuous quality services.

Additional chief secretary Ajoy Kumar Singh updated, "Nearly 70 lakh residents are insured under the scheme, with 80-85% of the population currently benefiting from govt-supported health protection."

He instructed the government and private facilities to ensure real-time data entry, maintain specialist availability, and improve standards of patient care.

Further, the state has introduced severe penalties for private hospitals that retain bodies for unpaid bills, to protect patients' rights. Officials said that standardised rates for ICU and NICU treatments are also being finalised to make costs more transparent and predictable.

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