Marriage registration alone isn’t enough: Gujarat HC says Hindu marriage is invalid without Saptapadi
Can a family with fewer than six members get an Ayushman card? This question has gained attention after several media reports claimed that families with less than six members and no member aged 70 years or above are not eligible for the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.
The government has now addressed this issue in Parliament and clarified the eligibility rules under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Government responds to claim in Parliament
The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha by MP Ujjwal Raman Singh, who asked the government whether families having fewer than six members and no member above 70 years of age are ineligible for Ayushman cards. He also sought to know what arrangements have been made for such families, whether the government plans to issue Ayushman cards to them, and if so, by when.
Responding to the questions, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said the claim is not correct.
The government clarified that there is no cap on family size, age or gender for eligible beneficiary families covered under AB-PMJAY. Every eligible member of a beneficiary family is entitled to health coverage under the scheme, irrespective of age or gender.
STORIES YOU MAY LIKE
ALSO READ
What did the government say?
According to the Health Ministry’s reply, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family every year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
The scheme currently covers 12 crore economically vulnerable families, representing the bottom 40% of India’s population.
The government also informed Parliament that in March 2024, the scheme was expanded to include around 37 lakh families of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers.
For all these beneficiary categories, there is no restriction based on the number of family members, age or gender, the government said.
Then where does the 70-plus rule come from?
The confusion appears to stem from the separate expansion announced by the government in October 2024.
The Centre expanded AB-PMJAY to cover all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their income or socio-economic status.
According to the government, this expansion brought around 6 crore senior citizens from 4.5 crore families under the scheme.
This means that people aged 70 years or above can receive Ayushman Bharat health coverage even if they do not belong to the original economically vulnerable beneficiary categories.
However, this does not mean that families with fewer than six members become ineligible under the existing scheme.
Who is eligible for Ayushman Bharat?
The government has clarified that eligibility under AB-PMJAY depends on the beneficiary categories identified under the scheme and not on the number of family members.
For eligible families covered under the scheme:
-There is no limit on family size.
-There is no age limit.
-There is no gender restriction.
Every eligible family receives health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
Separately, all citizens aged 70 years and above are also eligible under the expanded scheme irrespective of their socio-economic status.
ALSO READ
What is Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY?
Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is the Centre’s flagship public health insurance scheme.
It provides cashless treatment at empanelled public and private hospitals across India for a wide range of secondary and tertiary care procedures. Eligible families receive health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per year.
The scheme was launched to reduce the financial burden of expensive hospitalisation for economically vulnerable households.
Over the years, the government has expanded its coverage to include additional beneficiary groups such as ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, and more recently, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above.
Bottom line
The government’s reply in the Lok Sabha makes one thing clear: there is no rule under AB-PMJAY that automatically disqualifies families simply because they have fewer than six members or no one above the age of 70 years.
For eligible beneficiary families under the scheme, there is no cap on family size, age or gender. The separate 70-plus expansion announced in October 2024 only extends the scheme to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their socio-economic status.
Disclaimer: This story is based on the written reply given by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Lok Sabha on July 24, 2026. Eligibility under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana depends on the criteria notified by the government. Individuals should verify their eligibility through the official Ayushman Bharat portal or the concerned authorities before applying for benefits.
Read Next
This article was first uploaded on July twenty-four, twenty twenty-six, at fifty-six minutes past one in the afternoon.
© IE Online Media Services (P) Ltd
aniltikotekar4sme.com 