Govt’s free health insurance scheme welcomes senior citizens. But can they rely on it?

livemint.com:

The government recently expanded the scope of its free public health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), to include all citizens above age 70 irrespective of their socio-economic status. 

This comes at a time when health insurance premiums for senior citizens have been soaring. But will it be a good idea for senior citizens enrolling for this scheme to let go of their expensive personal health insurance policies? 

Mint examines the features of AB-PMJAY, its performance so far, its hospital network, and the quality of medical treatment under it.

Enrollment for citizens above age 70 has not yet started. The Union government has directed states and union territories to prepare for the launch of the expanded scheme, expected this month. The policy’s features are expected to be the same as for existing beneficiaries. 

Cover size: The scheme offers ₹5 lakh annual coverage for in-patient hospitalization at the family level. If a family has two members above 70 years, both of them will share the policy cover of ₹5 lakh. If a family already has younger Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries, an additional top-up will be provided for senior citizens above 70 years.

Illnesses covered: “The scheme’s coverage is comprehensive, spanning a wide range of critical illnesses and major diseases. Although a detailed notification outlining specific inclusions and exclusions is still awaited, early indications suggest that most essential medical treatments will be covered in AB-PMJAY for senior citizens," said Narendra Bharindwal, vice president, Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI). 

Existing diseases or conditions: Under AB-PMJAY, there is no waiting period for existing diseases to be covered under