KOLKATA, Aug 14: West Bengal is set to implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme from August 16, marking a major expansion of publicly funded healthcare coverage in the state.
The programme is expected to cover around 1.5 crore families, providing eligible beneficiaries access to financial protection for hospitalisation and other covered medical treatments.
The rollout is expected to strengthen the state’s health insurance network and reduce the financial burden on families requiring expensive medical care. The move also brings West Bengal into the national health assurance framework after discussions between the Centre and the state government.
Ahead of the launch, around 3.4 crore people in West Bengal had enrolled for Ayushman Bharat, while approximately 80 lakh beneficiaries had registered under the state’s Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Bima Yojana.
The simultaneous presence of the two schemes is expected to widen healthcare access across different sections of the population and provide greater financial support to families facing medical expenses.
The implementation is being viewed as an important step towards expanding health coverage and improving access to affordable treatment across the state.
