Arogya Manthan 2026 to Mark Eight Years of AB PM-JAY, Five of ABDM
Arogya Manthan 2026 will mark eight years of AB PM-JAY and five years of ABDM, with new digital health initiatives to be launched.
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will inaugurate Arogya Manthan 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, an event organised by the National Health Authority to mark eight years of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and five years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
Deliberations on health assurance and digital health
The programme will include thematic sessions on health assurance and digital health. A common session on the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) will examine its role in enabling standardised, streamlined and technology-driven health insurance processes.
Parallel sessions under the AB PM-JAY and ABDM tracks will cover claim processing and programme integrity through technology, data and analytics; strategic purchasing with a focus on quality and cost-effectiveness; the use of digital platforms to widen access to healthcare services; and the role of common health-data standards in enabling seamless information exchange.
New initiatives
A set of initiatives will be launched at the event, including the National Healthcare Providers Registry (NHPR) Mobile App, an NHCX Implementation Guide for Payers, a Guidebook for a Model Digital Health Facility, a Secure Data Environment (SDE) application and a Framework for Auto-Adjudication of Claims under AB PM-JAY.
The Secure Data Environment, developed by the NHA with support from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, is envisaged as a governed environment for access to and analysis of AB PM-JAY and ABDM health data. Approved entities will be able to work with de-identified data or execute code within an isolated NHA environment, with outputs reviewed before release. The initiative is intended to support health research, programme planning, outcome analysis and responsible AI innovation, with safeguards for personal data.
The event will also recognise best-performing States and Union Territories across categories under AB PM-JAY and ABDM.
Progress under the two missions
Launched in 2018, AB PM-JAY provides health cover of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. More than 60 crore beneficiaries are covered, and the scheme has facilitated over 13 crore hospital admissions involving treatment worth more than Rs. 2 lakh crore. In October 2024, it was extended to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of socio-economic status, bringing around 6 crore additional senior citizens within its ambit.
ABDM, launched in September 2021, has built digital health components including the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), the Healthcare Professionals Registry and the Health Facility Registry. As on September 1, 2026, more than 97.8 crore ABHAs have been created and over 121 crore health records linked, with more than 5.6 lakh health facilities and 11 lakh healthcare professionals registered on the ecosystem.
The Mission has also pursued digital health standards and responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence, through initiatives such as the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India, the Benchmarking Open Data Platform in Health AI, Common Lab Codes for India and the Bharat Health Terminology Service, alongside citizen-facing services such as Scan & Register, Scan & Pay and e-Sushrut Clinic.
The event will bring together senior government officials, healthcare providers, insurers, technology and digital health experts, academia and development partners to take stock of progress and discuss priorities for the next phase.