Summary of this article
9.67 million cards issued to senior citizens aged 70 years and above by December 2025.
1.03 million hospital admissions were accepted, and Rs 2,154 crore spent.
Uttar Pradesh approved the highest Ayushman Cards so far, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
Ayushman Vay Vandana Card is issued to senior citizens who apply for the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). The scheme allows such senior citizens to avail of a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. The scheme was launched in 2018 for the economically-weaker section, and later in October 2024, it was extended it to all resident citizens of India aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their economic background. In a written reply, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav informed Lok Sabha that as on December 31, 2025, more than 9.67 million Ayushman Vay Vandana Cards have been issued across all states and Union Territories.
Also, a total of 1.03 million hospital admissions have been authorised as on December 31, 2025, which involved Rs 2,154.37 crore expenditure, he added.
Key Data As On December 31, 2025
· 1.03 million hospital admissions authorised
· A total of Rs 2,154.37 crore was incurred in expenditures
· Rs 820.42 crore pertained to 393,000 women beneficiaries
· Rs 1,333.94 crore pertained to 640,000 male beneficiaries
· Over 33,270 hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Vaya Vandana scheme, including 17,537 government hospitals and 15,733 private hospitals
The National Health Authority (NHA) data, at the time of writing, shows that the maximum number of cards for senior citizens aged 70 years and above was issued in Uttar Pradesh (2.27 million), followed by Madhya Pradesh (1.55 million), and Andhra Pradesh (1.37 million).
Under the scheme, senior citizens (age 70 and above) can get health coverage of Rs 5 lakh. According to government estimates, six billion eligible senior citizens belonging to 4.50 billion families are estimated to benefit from the scheme.
How To Apply For Ayushman Vay Vandana Card
§ Visit the official website of the National Health Authority. Log in with the given captcha code and your mobile number
§ Click the tab ‘click here to enroll’ option to register, fill in the necessary details, and complete the e-KYC
§ After successful e-KYC, select the applicable beneficiary option, such as CGHS, CAPF, none of the above, etc., from the drop-down or self-declare and write in the given box
§ Fill in personal details, such as mobile number, address, pin code, and all family members’ details, and submit
§ A pop-up message will show “e-KYC is completed. Please download the Ayushman card after some time”. The care will be ready for download after 15 minutes
Senior citizens can also use the Ayushman app to register and download the card. The app is available on the Google Play Store. The registration process remains the same.
