Health coverage for all aged 70 yrs and above to bring relief to millions of families: Industry play

government's move to provide health cover to all persons d 70 years and above will bring much-needed relief to millions of families and is a significant milestone in providing essential healthcare services to elderly, industry players said on Thursday.

Union Cabinet h on Wednesday approved health cover to all persons d 70 years and above under Ayushman Bharat Prhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana  (AB PM-JAY) irrespective of ir income, benefiting around six crore senior citizens. Rs 5 lakh free health insurance cover would benefit senior citizens of around 4.5 crore families.

Reacting to anuncement, Healthcare industry body NAALTH President Abhay Soi said, "We believe this initiative will bring much-needed relief to millions of families and strengn India's position as a leer in inclusive healthcare".

benefit pack needs to be tailored to population segment so that it encompasses entire continuum of care, he said, ding that NAALTH is rey to support government with rollout.

Similarly, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) Director General Anil Matai described initiative as "a significant milestone in providing essential healthcare services to elderly".

"It is undoubtedly a crucial step towards fostering a more inclusive healthcare ecosystem and OPPI welcomes move," he ded.

Matai furr said that while this initiative marks a major vancement in healthcare accessibility, OPPI takes this opportunity to emphasise importance of including 'Missing Middle', those who are currently excluded from both government and private health insurance schemes, as part of AB PM-JAY.

"se individuals represent a segment that must be brought into fold of financial protection," he asserted.

Welcoming government's move, Medical Techlogy Association of India (MTaI) Chairman Pavan Choudary said decision to extend health cover to all senior citizens d 70 and above - irrespective of income under AB PM-JAY is commendable.

"MTaI, having consistently vocated for this inclusion, recognises this move as a landmark step toward equitable healthcare for India's ing population," he ded.

Paras Health Group Chief Operating Officer Santy Sajan described government's step as a much-needed step towards ensuring that India's elderly population has access to essential healthcare services.

"As India's senior population grows, demand for geriatric care is increasing, and this initiative is a timely response to that need. By providing comprehensive health cover to our senior citizens, scheme t only alleviates financial burden on families but also reinforces importance of accessible healthcare for all groups," she ded.

Similarly, FICCI (Health Services) President Harsh Mahajan said, "As our elderly population grows, so does need for specialised geriatric care, and this expansion will enable more families to access essential services without burden of overwhelming medical expenses".

However, he said, expanding beneficiary base by such a significant margin presents real-life challenges, particularly regarding viability of scheme for smaller and medium-sized hospitals.

"se institutions often operate on tight margins, and ded pressure of accommodating a larger patient base, especially with senior citizens requiring more intensive care, could strain ir resources,"  Mahajan said.