West Bengal will implement the central government's healthcare insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat and state's cashless coverage scheme Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana from August 16, 2026. According to chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, the state government is organising 'Ayushman Divas' on this date, bringing West Bengal under the same health-security framework as the rest of the country. The schemes will cover 1.5 crore families (6 crore individuals) under Ayushman Bharat and provide equal annual cashless health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh for those not meeting Centre's eligibility criteria through the state scheme. Health officials report that field verification of around 5 crore individuals has already been completed, with 3.4 crore migrated from Swasthya Sathi to AB-PMJAY scheme and 80 lakh beneficiaries enrolled for MMSBY who did not qualify for Ayushman. The Ayushman Divas programme will be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata at 3 pm today, with Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel expected to attend and distribution of Ayushman Bharat health cards beginning. Health minister Sharadwat Mukherjee stated that the launch would mark a "new day" for the state, alleging that people had been deprived of several central welfare schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, over the past 15 years.
A total of 1,930 hospitals in the state have been brought under the scheme, comprising 1,303 private and 627 government facilities. The Centre has allocated around ₹1,000 crore for Ayushman Bharat implementation in West Bengal, accounting for 60% of the funding, while the remaining 40% will be borne by the state. To prevent irregularities, a nodal team from the state Health Department will hold review meetings every fortnight, with agreements finalised for the next 90 days with private hospitals. Each family will be issued an Aadhaar-linked Ayushman Bharat card and will be entitled to cashless treatment of up to ₹5 lakh a year, with beneficiaries able to avail coverage at empanelled hospitals anywhere in India, expanding access beyond West Bengal. The minister clarified that no money will be charged for issuing Ayushman Bharat cards, and residents of West Bengal would be able to avail themselves of the scheme not only at hospitals within the state but also at more than 40,000 empanelled hospitals across the country.
According to health minister Sharadwat Mukherjee, Ayushman Bharat offers no upper limit on family members covered and will cover costs of medicines, diagnostic tests and follow-up treatment from three days before hospitalisation until 15 days after discharge. The scheme covers out-of-pocket expenses that patients need to bear before and after hospitalisation on things like medication and dressing, and unlike other health schemes, this covers pre-existing diseases. Under the scheme, beneficiaries would not need to carry a separate card to avail of the scheme - at the hospital, they would only need to show their Aadhaar card at the designated counter, after which digital verification would be completed, and the patient would be able to access the benefits. The Mukhyamantri Swasthya Yojana will also function in the state alongside Ayushman Bharat, with Swasthya Sathi beneficiaries able to avail of the Mukhamantri Swathya Yojana scheme. The beneficiaries' Aadhar numbers will be directly linked to the Ayushman Bharat cards, allowing seamless transition between schemes, and every citizen above 70 years of age will be brought under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Additionally, around 3.4 crore people in the state are already covered under 'Ayushman Bharat' and would be able to avail themselves of services from August 16.
The minister assured that the TMC government's Swasthya Sathi scheme will not be discontinued immediately. For the next two to three months, Swasthya Sathi, Ayushman Bharat and the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana will operate simultaneously, with Swasthya Sathi being gradually withdrawn only after beneficiaries are shifted to new schemes in phases and it was established that there were no problems with the services. The state plans to review the functioning of all schemes over the next two months, while the government has issued a stern warning that "no one can be turned away on the grounds that there are no beds" - let someone try turning a patient away! Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addressed the Bibhajan Bibhisikha Smriti Diwas programme at Moulali in Kolkata on Friday, stating that the initiative was aimed at ensuring healthcare for West Bengal's nearly 11 crore people.
Beneficiaries have been advised to carry their Aadhaar number when visiting hospitals, as those whose names are not currently in the Ayushman Bharat database can have their eligibility checked and enrolled at the hospital itself. The scheme offers significant advantages through ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) ID, which allows patients to access their complete digital medical record without repeatedly submitting medical history. This digital integration aims to make the treatment process faster and easier for all beneficiaries, with the system designed to ensure healthcare accessibility for West Bengal's population of nearly 11 crore people. The government also confirmed that around 3.4 crore people in the state are already covered under 'Ayushman Bharat' and would be able to avail themselves of services from August 16. The minister emphasized that residents of West Bengal would be able to avail themselves of the scheme not only at hospitals within the state but also at more than 40,000 empanelled hospitals across the country, making the scheme particularly useful for migrant workers or residents who fall ill while travelling outside the state.
