Union Health Ministry Reviews AB-PMJAY, ABDM Implementation, Sets Priorities for Digital Health Integration

The review also examined automated claims processing, the operationalisation of the NHCX, alongside a demonstration of Sandbox 2.0, and featured NHA's Ambient AI-enabled Voice Scribe.

The Union Health Ministry has reviewed the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), bringing together State and Union Territory officials to identify priorities for the next phase.

The discussions have focused on expanding healthcare coverage, strengthening digital infrastructure and improving patient outcomes through technology.

The National Health Authority (NHA), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, organised the two-day National Review Meeting in Kolkata on November 5-6, 2026.

The meeting provided a platform for the Centre and States to assess programme progress, exchange implementation experiences and discuss measures to improve healthcare delivery, financial protection and digital health adoption.

Addressing the meeting, Dr Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Chief Executive Officer of NHA, highlighted West Bengal’s progress following its integration with the national AB-PMJAY platform. He stressed that the next phase must translate expanded beneficiary coverage into better access to quality care.

“Every rupee spent on healthcare must lead to better care for our people. Technology, data and artificial intelligence can strengthen implementation, improve efficiency and support more informed decision-making. As we move forward, our focus must increasingly shift from financing treatment towards achieving better health outcomes for beneficiaries,” Dr Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO of NHA, said.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Aggarwal highlighted the need to strengthen primary healthcare alongside financial protection.

According to Narayan Swaroop Nigam, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, West Bengal joined AB-PMJAY as the 36th State. Since the scheme's launch in the State on August 16, 2026, 4.2 crore beneficiaries have been enrolled, and 2.2 lakh people have received treatment.

The review also examined automated claims processing, fraud prevention and the operationalisation of the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX).

Officials emphasised the need for ABDM-enabled Hospital Information Systems to improve integration, accelerate claims settlement and strengthen adjudication across AB PM-JAY-empanelled hospitals.

Digital transformation remained a central theme. Discussions covered the Model Digital Health Facility Framework, data quality and the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Prof. Phaneendra Yalavarthy of TANUH, IISc Bengaluru, presented the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH), which enables the evaluation of AI models using Indian datasets. States were encouraged to assess AI solutions before incorporating them into healthcare systems.

Moreover, a demonstration of Sandbox 2.0 showcased how agentic AI could simplify ABDM integration.

The meeting also featured NHA's Ambient AI-enabled Voice Scribe, which converts doctor-patient conversations into structured clinical records in multiple Indian languages for doctors to review and approve before linking them to ABHA.

Cybersecurity, data governance and institutional capacity were additional priorities. States were advised to strengthen authentication, access controls and security audits to protect sensitive health information.

The meeting concluded with a shared roadmap for strengthening AB-PMJAY and ABDM implementation through Centre-State coordination, reliable data, secure digital systems and responsible technology adoption.

The focus, officials emphasised, must extend beyond expanding coverage and digitisation to delivering timely, quality healthcare and measurable improvements in health outcomes.

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