The Ayushman Vay Vandana Card is a free health cover from the central government for every citizen aged 70 and above, regardless of income. This article covers who’s eligible, how much cover you get, and how to apply.
What is the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card?
It’s a component added to Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) in October 2024, specifically for senior citizens. Unlike regular PM-JAY, which is based on income or poverty criteria, this applies to every Indian citizen aged 70 or above who has a valid Aadhaar card — income doesn’t matter.
Who is eligible?
- Age 70 years or above.
- A valid Aadhaar card.
- No income or poverty test — it applies to all senior citizens in this age group.
How much cover do you get?
| Your family’s situation | Cover for the 70+ member(s) |
|---|---|
| Family doesn’t already hold a PM-JAY card | New cashless cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year for the 70+ member(s) |
| Family already holds a PM-JAY card (for other members) | The 70+ member gets an additional ₹5 lakh — this is counted separately from the family’s existing PM-JAY cover, not as part of it |
One thing to be clear about: if a family has two or more members aged 70+, reports differ on whether this ₹5 lakh is shared between them or given separately to each person — we could not confirm this precisely from an official document. If this applies to you, ask directly when applying for the card, or call the helpline (1800-11-0770) to confirm.
How to get the card
- Apply through the Ayushman App (Play Store), the
beneficiary.nha.gov.inportal, or your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC). - Complete Aadhaar-based e-KYC (OTP or fingerprint).
- Download the card once e-KYC is approved.
- There’s no fee at any stage — the card is entirely free.
Which hospitals does this card work at?
The Vay Vandana Card only works at hospitals “empanelled” (officially listed) under PM-JAY — this includes both government and private hospitals. According to official central government figures (PIB press release, as of 17 November 2024), 30,745 hospitals are empanelled nationwide — 17,084 government hospitals and 13,661 private hospitals. This number keeps changing.
To check which hospitals near you are empanelled:
- Use “Find Hospital” in the Ayushman App, or
- Check
hospitals.pmjay.gov.inby selecting your state/district.
The card doesn’t work at a hospital that isn’t empanelled — it’s worth confirming at the hospital’s reception or “Ayushman Mitra” desk before you go in for treatment.
Which treatments does it cover?
PM-JAY doesn’t work off a fixed “list of diseases” — instead it uses a system of “Health Benefit Packages” that cover specific procedures and treatments across many specialities, and these apply only to treatments that need hospitalisation. According to official government data (PIB), treatments already authorised under the Vay Vandana Card include: coronary angioplasty (heart), hip fracture/replacement, gallbladder removal, cataract surgery, prostate resection, and stroke treatment, among others.
Pre-existing diseases (PED) are covered too — this is a real difference from typical private health insurance. The official PIB release states plainly that “pre-existing diseases are covered from day one” — meaning there’s no waiting period like you’d see with private policies; you can get treated for a condition you already had, right from enrolment.
What’s not covered (official exclusions, per NHA guidelines):
- OPD care — consulting a doctor without being admitted to hospital
- Standalone diagnostic tests done without hospitalisation
- Drug rehabilitation
- Cosmetic/aesthetic treatments
- Vaccination
- Routine or cosmetic dental work (dental treatment does get covered if it’s needed because of a disease or injury that requires hospitalisation)
Key terms
| Term | Simple meaning |
|---|---|
| PM-JAY | The central government’s health insurance scheme under Ayushman Bharat |
| Vay Vandana Card | The PM-JAY add-on cover card specifically for citizens aged 70+ |
| Cashless treatment | The government pays the empanelled hospital directly — you don’t pay and claim back |
| e-KYC | Identity verification done through Aadhaar |
Common myths and facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| “This is only for poor families” | No — the Vay Vandana Card has no income test; age 70+ is enough |
| “Our family already has a PM-JAY card, so older members don’t need anything extra” | The 70+ member gets an additional ₹5 lakh on top of the family’s existing cover — worth applying for separately |
| “There’s a fee to apply” | The card is entirely free, with no charges |
| “This card works at any hospital” | No — only at hospitals empanelled under PM-JAY (government or private); check hospitals.pmjay.gov.in before you go |
Check these before applying
- Confirm the age recorded on the Aadhaar card is correct — eligibility is based on this.
- If you already have CGHS, ECHS, or a similar government employee health scheme, ask at the time of applying how it works alongside the Vay Vandana Card.
- Check which hospitals near you are empanelled in the Ayushman App or hospitals.pmjay.gov.in — cashless treatment only applies at hospitals on that list; confirm by phone before you go.
- Check whether your treatment needs hospitalisation — plain OPD consultations, standalone diagnostics, and cosmetic treatments aren’t covered under this card.
- If more than one family member is 70+, ask the helpline how the cover amount is split between them.
Sources
- Ayushman Bharat — PM-JAY official website (pmjay.gov.in)
- National Health Authority — Beneficiary Portal (beneficiary.nha.gov.in) — for applying and e-KYC
- Empanelled hospital directory — hospitals.pmjay.gov.in
- PIB press release (17 November 2024) — treatments authorised under Vay Vandana, empanelled hospital count, PED coverage
- National Health Authority — Unspecified Surgical Packages guidelines (exclusion list)
Last updated: 17 October 2026. Rules for this scheme are updated fairly often — check the official portal for the latest details.