For an older person facing a hospital stay, the first worry is often not the treatment itself. It is the bill that will follow. Two years after a scheme was launched to take that worry away for India’s oldest citizens, the government has put a number on how much it has been used: 23.46 lakh hospital admissions, worth Rs 5,668.80 crore.
Ayushman Vay Vandana completed two years on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 29, 2024, the initiative extends the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, or AB PM-JAY, to senior citizens. It is implemented by the National Health Authority under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The figures, official data as of October 20, 2026, describe authorised hospital admissions under the initiative and the value of the hospital care approved under it.
What the numbers show
Cataract surgery stands out clearly in the data. It was the most frequently availed procedure, with 4.71 lakh treatments, or about 20.1 per cent of all authorised treatments under the initiative. That is roughly one in every five admissions.
The pattern points to a straightforward need. Cataract surgery is one of the most common hospital needs among older people, and for many families it had waited because of cost or the difficulty of arranging care.
Chronic haemodialysis ranked second, with approximately 2.90 lakh procedures. Dialysis is different from a one-time operation. It is regular, hospital-based treatment that a patient with kidney-related illness returns for again and again, and the cost adds up visit by visit. Cover for repeated treatment of this kind matters as much to a household budget as cover for a single surgery.
Taken together, the two leading categories tell a wider story. The scheme is being used both for planned operations that restore sight and independence, and for ongoing care that keeps a chronic condition under control. The coverage spans routine surgical care and complex, continuing hospital treatment.
Who is covered, and for how much
The eligibility rule is deliberately simple. All citizens aged 70 years and above are eligible, irrespective of their income or socio-economic background. There is no income test standing between an older citizen and the cover.
Eligible senior citizens get health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The scheme is designed to provide financial protection to approximately six crore senior citizens belonging to around 4.5 crore families across the country.
There is an additional provision for families already covered under AB PM-JAY. Senior citizens aged 70 and above in those families receive an additional top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per year, exclusively for themselves. That top-up sits separately from the existing family cover available to members below 70 years of age, so the older person’s cover does not eat into the cover available to younger family members.
The design matters because a single admission can mean surgery, medicines, tests, and follow-up visits, and for a retired person on a fixed income, even one large bill can force difficult choices.
Why two years matter
A scheme can look good on paper and still fail if people cannot use it. Two years of data does not answer every question about quality or ease of access, but it does show sustained use at scale. More than 23 lakh admissions in two years is not a launch-week spike.
It also shows where the demand sits. Eye care and kidney care lead the list, and both are areas where delayed treatment makes life harder in ways that go beyond a medical chart. Poor vision limits mobility and independence. Missed dialysis sessions carry immediate health risks. In both cases, earlier and more regular hospital care can change daily life, not just a single diagnosis.
For families, the practical message is simple: if an older relative aged 70 or above needs hospital care, this cover exists, and it has already been used lakhs of times.
Two years in, Ayushman Vay Vandana has become part of how many older Indians pay for hospital care. The next test is the same as the first one: whether the cover keeps pace with need, and whether every eligible senior citizen who needs it knows it is there.
Frequently asked questions
Who can use Ayushman Vay Vandana?
All citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income or socio-economic status.
How much cover does it provide?
Up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
Is there extra cover for families already under AB PM-JAY?
Yes. Senior citizens aged 70 and above in AB PM-JAY families get an additional top-up of up to Rs 5 lakh per year for themselves, separate from the family cover for younger members.
What treatment has been used most?
Cataract surgery, with 4.71 lakh treatments, about 20.1 per cent of authorised treatments, followed by chronic haemodialysis at approximately 2.90 lakh procedures.
When was the scheme launched?
On October 29, 2024, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It completed two years on October 29, 2026, with 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions recorded as of October 20, 2026.
