Senior citizens aged 70 years and above have an important government healthcare benefit available to them under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The government introduced the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card to extend AB-PMJAY health coverage to all people aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status. A recent government review has again highlighted the implementation of this benefit for senior citizens.

Who Can Get the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card?

The benefit is available to senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their financial background.

This is an important difference from the traditional eligibility criteria of AB-PMJAY, which is primarily targeted at eligible economically vulnerable families. The 70-plus expansion was introduced specifically to extend health coverage to senior citizens more broadly.

Up to ₹5 Lakh Health Cover

Eligible senior citizens can receive health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year under the scheme.

For families that are already covered under AB-PMJAY, the senior citizen can receive an additional top-up cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year for themselves, according to government information.

This can be particularly useful for elderly people because hospitalisation and specialised medical treatment can result in substantial expenses.

What Kind of Treatment Is Covered?

The AB-PMJAY system provides coverage for a wide range of healthcare services and treatments through empanelled hospitals.

Government information says the coverage includes hospitalisation and specialised treatment for various conditions, including serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.

The exact treatment packages and eligibility for individual procedures depend on the applicable scheme rules and the empanelled hospital.

More Than 1 Crore Vay Vandana Cards Created

The scheme has already reached a substantial number of senior citizens.

According to government figures released in March 2026, more than 1.14 crore Ayushman Vay Vandana cards had been created for senior citizens aged 70 and above.

The government continues to review the implementation and outreach of the scheme to improve access for elderly citizens.

How Can Senior Citizens Use the Benefit?

Eligible senior citizens need an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card to access the benefit through the scheme's network.

The government has also introduced the Ayushman App, which includes self-verification facilities and supports authentication methods such as OTP, face authentication, iris and fingerprint verification for card creation.

Senior citizens and their families should use official government channels for checking eligibility and completing the card-generation process.

Why This Government Benefit Matters

Healthcare expenses can become a major financial concern for elderly families, particularly when hospitalisation or specialised treatment is required.

The expansion of AB-PMJAY to all citizens aged 70 and above is therefore significant because eligibility for this senior-citizen benefit is not restricted by the family's socio-economic status.

With more than a crore Ayushman Vay Vandana cards already created, the government is continuing its effort to bring senior citizens under the health-coverage system.

Check the Benefit if Someone in Your Family Is 70+

If you have a parent, grandparent or another family member who is 70 years or older, it is worth checking whether they have received or can obtain an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card.

The key benefit is straightforward: eligible senior citizens aged 70+ can receive health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh under AB-PMJAY, irrespective of their socio-economic status.

Before relying on the coverage for any particular treatment, however, check the latest eligibility conditions, treatment package and empanelled-hospital details through the official Ayushman Bharat system.