How to Apply for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY Golden Health Card

1. Introduction

Launched by the Government of India and administered by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is the world’s largest government-funded health assurance scheme.

The scheme provides a health safety net of ₹5,00,000 per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospital care, covering over 1,900 surgical and medical packages—including cardiology, oncology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and intensive care—across more than 29,000 empanelled public and private hospitals nationwide.

2. Quick Answer: 3 Steps to Generate Your Ayushman Card

1. Verify Eligibility on Beneficiary Portal: Open beneficiary.nha.gov.in, login as Beneficiary via mobile OTP, and search your family record using your Aadhaar Number or Ration Card Number.
2. Complete Aadhaar e-KYC: Click Action / e-KYC next to your name. Authenticate via Aadhaar OTP (or Face RD app on mobile) and capture a live webcam photo.
3. Download Ayushman Golden Card: Once verified (typically instant to 24 hours), click Download Card to save your digitally signed PVC-ready Ayushman Card PDF.

3. Eligibility Criteria

Under NHA statutory rules, citizens qualify under the following categories:

• Rural Poor (SECC 2011): Families living in one-room kutcha houses, landless manual casual labor households, SC/ST rural households, or female-headed households with no adult male member.
• Urban Occupational Categories: Street vendors, ragpickers, domestic helpers, construction workers, drivers, transport laborers, plumbers, tailors, and sanitation workers.
• NFSA Ration Card Beneficiaries: Eligible Priority Household (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card families in participating states.
• Senior Citizens Aged 70 and Above (Ayushman Vay Vandana): Any Indian citizen who has completed 70 years of age (verified via Aadhaar) is entitled to coverage regardless of family income.

4. Documents Required

• Aadhaar Card: With active mobile number linked for OTP verification.
• Ration Card (NFSA) / Family ID: Showing the applicant’s name listed as a family member.
• Active Mobile Phone: To receive authentication OTPs from the portal.

5. Step-by-Step Online Application (Beneficiary Portal)

1. Open the NHA Beneficiary Portal (https://beneficiary.nha.gov.in).
2. On the login screen, select Beneficiary (do not select Operator).
3. Enter your 10-Digit Mobile Number and click Verify. Enter the 6-digit OTP received via SMS and the captcha code. Click Login.
4. In the search dashboard, select:
   • State
   • Scheme: Select PMJAY
   • District
   • Search By: Select Aadhaar, Family ID, or Ration Card Number
5. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number and click the Search (Magnifying Glass) icon.
6. The screen lists all family members associated with that family unit, displaying their e-KYC status:
   • Verified / Approved (Card already active)
   • Not Verified / Action Pending (Requires e-KYC)
7. Click the e-KYC icon next to the unverified family member’s name.
8. Authenticate using Aadhaar OTP. Enter the OTP received on the Aadhaar-linked mobile phone.
9. Match Score: The system matches your live photo against the Aadhaar database photograph (must meet minimum 80% confidence threshold).
10. Enter mobile number, marital status, and residential PIN code.
11. Click Submit. The system displays: e-KYC is completed and Ayushman Card is approved!
12. Click the Download Icon next to the member’s name to download the full-color, high-resolution Ayushman Card PDF.

6. How Cashless Treatment Works at Empanelled Hospitals

[Patient Visits Empanelled Hospital] 
                 │
                 ▼
[Reports to "Ayushman Mitra" Helpdesk at Reception]
                 │
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[Biometric / Aadhaar Authentication Confirms Identity]
                 │
                 ▼
[Hospital Submits Pre-Authorization for Diagnosis / Surgery]
                 │
                 ▼
[NHA Approves Package: 100% Cashless Treatment Up to ₹5 Lakhs]
                 │
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[Patient Discharged with Zero Out-of-Pocket Payment for Covered Services]

7. Official Resources

• NHA Beneficiary Portal: beneficiary.nha.gov.in
• National Health Authority: nha.gov.in
• Toll-Free National Helpline: 14555
• Hospital Directory Search: pmjay.gov.in/find-hospital

8. Disclaimer

eGyan.in is an independent civic portal. We do not process insurance claims or issue health cards. Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is administered exclusively by the National Health Authority.