Free treatment for seniors: Karnataka people deprived, Kerala citizens visit Dakshina Kannada hospitals

A file photo of the government-run Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru. An official overlooking implementation of AB-ArK told The Hindu that a good number of senior citizens from Kerala are availing free treatment at a charitable hospital in Mangaluru, and in other government and private hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district. 
| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

While a good number senior citizens aged 70 and above from Kerala are availing free treatment in 116 health facilities in Dakshina Kannada district as the Kerala Government has adopted the Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana (ABVV) scheme, those from Karnataka are deprived of the facility as the State is yet adopt the scheme.

In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded the Ayushman Bharath Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) health insurance programme to launch the ABVV scheme and provide free treatment to all those aged 70 and above, regardless of their income, at empanelled health facilities.

In Karnataka, the ABPMJAY scheme has been integrated with Mukhyamantri Aroya Karnataka Scheme and co-branded as Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) scheme, and is being implemented by the Suvarna Aroya Raksha Trust. While the Centre bears 60% of the expenditure incurred on beneficiaries, the remaining 40% is borne by Karnataka under the ABArK scheme.

A health department official overlooking implementation of AB-ArK told The Hindu that a good number of senior citizens from Kerala are availing the free treatment facility at a charitable hospital in Mangaluru, and in other government and private hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district. “Beneficiaries produce their Aadhaar card to avail the free treatment facility,” the official said.

In the existing AB-Ark Scheme, the elderly citizens of Karnataka will get free treatment if they belong to below poverty line (BPL) family. If they are in the above poverty line (APL) category, senior citizens have to bear 30% of the treatment cost. “If ABVV scheme is adopted, all senior citizens, regardless of their income, will get benefit of free treatment,” the official said.

A few days ago, Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath expressed in the Legislative Assembly the need for the State Government to extend the benefit of free treatment under ABVV to senior citizens of the State.

In reply, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao said the government had written to the Centre on November 27, 2024, seeking adequate support for implementing ABVV scheme. Though the sharing ratio for AB-ArK between the Centre and State should be 60:40, it is actually 25:75 as the State bears the expenditure for around 1.12 crore families while the Centre is only funding the expenses of 69 lakh families, he said.

Of the total AB-ArK beneficiaries, the State has 15.12 lakh families with senior citizens as members, the Minister stated.