Achievements of AB PM-JAY scheme

 In the last three years, the AB PM-JAY scheme has achieved several
milestones in achieving the target of Universal Health Coverage.
 More than 2 crore treatments have been provided to the beneficiary
under the scheme.
 More than17 crore beneficiaries have been verified through the
Beneficiary Identification System (BIS) and have been provided with
Ayushman cards.
 Boon for women: of the total number of beneficiaries who have got
benefitted under the scheme, over half of them are women.
 Paperless and cashless access to quality health care services.
 Public and Private Partnership: huge infrastructure gap in India’s
healthcare sector.
 National Portability: ensures nationwide portability. It allows the
beneficiaries to avail cashless benefits at any empaneled hospital across
the country.

Challenges:
Cost sharing scheme between center and state:
it will be critical to streamline and harmonize the existing state health
insurance schemes to PMJAY. Telangana, Odisha, Delhi, Kerala and Punjab
have already refused to implement the ,scheme.
Accountability of the private sector:
The ill-equipped public sector health capacities call for necessary partnerships
and coalition with private sector providers. Costs are a contested area
between the care-providers and the Centre, and many for-profit hospitals see
the government’s proposals as unviable.
Lack of participation by all states:
Thirty-one states and union territories have agreed to implement the
programme. Thirty-one states and union territories have agreed to implement
the programme, Telangana, Odisha, Delhi, Kerala and Punjab have said they
will not implement the programme till their concerns are addressed since they
have better health assurance schemes.
Magnitude of the scheme:
it aims to provide healthcare to 10 crore families. The availability of hospital
beds in Tier II and Tier III cities and rural areas will be challenging.
Implementation:
Even in the previous public health insurance schemes of some states, the
private healthcare providers have been facing huge challenges. Improper
procedure for empanelment, cost fixating mechanism and inordinate delay in
reimbursement to hospitals are some issues.
Financing:
Health is a state subject and hence requires states to contribute 40% of the
expenditures for Ayushman Bharat. Notably, most states have a poor fiscal
situation, and several operational state health schemes which will also have to
be aligned with the central initiative.