The Ayushman Vay Vandana Card is a special health insurance card launched by the Government of India for senior citizens aged 70 years and above. Unlike the regular Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) card, this scheme does not check your family income or economic status — every senior citizen in this age group is eligible, whether rich or poor. It gives a free health cover of ₹5 lakh per year that can be used at any empanelled government or private hospital across India.
What Is the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card?
It is a top-up scheme under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), announced in the 2024 Union Budget and rolled out nationwide from late 2024. It gives every citizen aged 70+ a separate ₹5 lakh annual cover, on top of any existing PM-JAY family cover. This means a senior citizen in a family already covered under regular Ayushman Bharat gets an additional, independent ₹5 lakh just for themselves.
This scheme covers all senior citizens aged 70 and above regardless of income — including those who already have CGHS, ESIC, or private insurance, except serving/retired government employees already covered under a government health scheme in some states. Check current state rules before applying if you have another government scheme.
Who Is Eligible
- ●Indian citizen aged 70 years or above (age proof required)
- ●No income or economic status criteria — applies to all income groups
- ●One card per eligible senior citizen; if both spouses are 70+, both get separate cards but share one family ₹5 lakh cover between them
- ●Applicable across all states and union territories except West Bengal and Delhi, which have not yet joined the scheme as of 2026
- ●Existing PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat) cardholders aged 70+ automatically get this additional cover on top of their existing benefit
| Minimum age | 70 years and above |
| Annual cover amount | ₹5 lakh per senior citizen (separate from family PM-JAY cover) |
| Premium/cost to citizen | Completely free |
| Income criteria | None — universal for all 70+ citizens |
| Card validity | Renews every financial year (April to March) |
| Hospitals covered | All PM-JAY empanelled government and private hospitals |
Documents Required
- ●Aadhaar card (mandatory — used for age and identity verification)
- ●Aadhaar-linked mobile number for OTP verification
- ●Passport-size photo (captured live during e-KYC if applying online)
- ●Ration card or family ID, if asked, for family linking
How to Apply Online — Step by Step
- 1Open the official PM-JAY Beneficiary Portal at beneficiary.nha.gov.in
- 2Click 'Login as Beneficiary' and enter your mobile number, then the OTP received
- 3Solve the captcha and click 'Login'
- 4On the dashboard, select your state, then choose the scheme category 'PMJAY - Senior Citizen (Vay Vandana)'
- 5Enter your Aadhaar number and click 'Search' to fetch your details from the Aadhaar database
- 6Verify your name, date of birth, and address shown on screen; click 'e-KYC'
- 7Choose the e-KYC method: 'Aadhaar OTP', 'Fingerprint', or 'Iris' (OTP is easiest for home use)
- 8Complete OTP verification sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number
- 9Take a live photo when prompted (or upload one, depending on state settings)
- 10Fill in additional details — mobile number, email (optional), and address confirmation
- 11Click 'Submit' — your application is auto-approved for e-KYC verified cases; if manual verification is needed, status shows 'Pending' for 2-3 days
- 12Once approved, click 'Download Card' to save your e-Ayushman Vay Vandana Card as a PDF
How to Apply via CSC or Ayushman App
If you are not comfortable with the online process, visit your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC) with your Aadhaar card. The CSC operator will complete the e-KYC and print your card for a nominal CSC service charge (the scheme itself is free; only the CSC facilitation fee, usually under ₹30, may apply). Alternatively, download the 'Ayushman App' from the Google Play Store, select 'Beneficiary', and follow the same Aadhaar-based e-KYC steps shown on the portal.
- 1Visit your nearest Common Service Centre (locate one via locator.csccloud.in)
- 2Carry your original Aadhaar card and mobile phone for OTP
- 3Ask the operator for 'Ayushman Vay Vandana Card for Senior Citizen (70+)'
- 4Complete e-KYC and biometric or OTP verification at the centre
- 5Collect your printed card or note the reference number to download later
How to Use the Card at a Hospital
When admission is needed, visit the Ayushman Mitra help desk at any empanelled hospital (look for the PM-JAY signage). Show your Aadhaar card and the Vay Vandana Card or the mobile number used for registration. The Ayushman Mitra will verify your identity through e-KYC at the hospital and generate an e-card for treatment authorization. Cashless treatment covers pre-hospitalization (up to 3 days), the hospital stay, and post-hospitalization care (up to 15 days) for the listed procedure.
Treatment under this scheme is completely cashless and paperless at empanelled hospitals — you should never be asked to pay for covered procedures. If a hospital demands payment for a covered treatment, contact the Ayushman Bharat helpline immediately.
What the Cover Includes
- ●Hospitalization expenses for over 1,900 medical procedures across specialties including cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, and nephrology
- ●Pre-existing diseases are covered from day one — no waiting period
- ●Free diagnostic tests, medicines, and consumables during hospital stay
- ●Follow-up care and post-hospitalization expenses up to 15 days after discharge
- ●Transportation allowance for certain emergency cases as per state guidelines
Checking Your Application or Card Status
- 1Go to beneficiary.nha.gov.in and log in with your mobile number and OTP
- 2Click 'My Applications' or 'Track Status' from the dashboard menu
- 3Enter your Aadhaar number or the reference/ticket ID given at the time of application
- 4View the current status: Approved, Pending, or Rejected, along with the reason if rejected
| PM-JAY Helpline (toll-free) | 14555 or 1800-111-565 |
| Availability | 24x7, all days including holidays |
| Email support | support@nha.gov.in |
| Grievance portal | cgrms.pmjay.gov.in |
Common Problems and Fixes
- ●Aadhaar name/DOB mismatch: correct your Aadhaar details first via the UIDAI Self-Service Update Portal, then reapply
- ●OTP not received: ensure your mobile number is linked to Aadhaar; update it at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra if needed
- ●Card shows 'Pending' for over a week: visit the nearest CSC or district PM-JAY office (usually at the District Hospital) with your Aadhaar for manual verification
- ●Hospital not accepting the card: confirm the hospital is PM-JAY empanelled via the 'Hospital Search' tool on the beneficiary portal before visiting for planned treatment
The scheme currently excludes serving and retired employees of central/state government departments who already receive health benefits under another government scheme (such as CGHS) in several states, and it has not yet been implemented in West Bengal and Delhi as of 2026. Always verify current state applicability on the official portal before applying, since rules are periodically updated.
Key Takeaway
If you or a family member is 70 years or older, applying for the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card takes less than 15 minutes online and costs nothing. It provides an independent ₹5 lakh health cover exclusively for that senior citizen, separate from any other family health scheme, and is accepted at thousands of hospitals nationwide for cashless treatment.