The newly introduced PM-JAY Ayushman card by the PM Narendra Modi-led government, which provides Rs 5 lakh health benefits and hospitalisation for senior citizens aged 70 years and above, is yet to become a reality, as several formalities remain to be completed before the card can be downloaded from the internet.
Even the Porvorim Health Centre is unaware of these formalities, and what they have been issuing is only the Ayushman Bharat card (ABHA), which is a digital health record card but does not entitle one to Rs 5 lakh health benefits in government and certain empanelled hospitals.
Most senior citizens are unaware of these rules and have been misled by several newspaper reports suggesting that these cards were already issued on the day of the inauguration with a lot of fanfare. It is time the government notifies these rules to save the inconvenience and trouble caused to senior citizens.
