Ultimately all health schemes will be converged on a single platform: Dr Vipul Aggarwal

Dr Vipul Aggarwal, deputy CEO, National Health Authority speaks to Viveka Roychowdhury on the multiple benefits of converging more health schemes under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, plans to include the ‘missing middle’ and the expanding role of private healthcare providers in these initiatives

On January 23, Shri Amit Shah, Union Minister for Home Affairs launched Ayushman CAPF, a joint initiative of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to provide cashless health services under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to all Central Armed Police Force (CAPFs) personnel and their dependents.

Explaining how the scheme is a win-win for all stakeholders, Dr Aggarwal points out that while the more 35 lakh officers, personnel of the CAPF who are most often posted away from their families and dependents, will now have access to a wider network of super speciality care facilities when required, the government will benefit with better fraud analytics, enhanced bargaining power resulting in savings to the exchequer, better data for long term policy planning etc.

The joint initiative is significant as it is a precursor to the more such initiatives. Dr Aggarwal speaks about the work being done to converge at least 7-8 existing schemes and health packages of other ministries into the AB-PMJAY  “in the near future”. Finally, he gives an update on the plans for the “missing middle” and how the role of the private healthcare providers in all these initiatives has increased over the past two years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Listen in to excerpts from the conversation …