Managing your health records and medical history is important, but many people struggle to maintain them. Ayushman Bharat Health Account or ABHA Cardaims to create a digital health ecosystem and enhance hospital experience by facilitating cashless payments. An integral part of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), ABHA aims to not only improve access to quality healthcare but also reduce the financial burden of the weaker sections of society.
It especially helps you manage the financial aspects related to healthcare services under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Read on to know more about Ayushman Bharat Health Account.
Understanding ABHA Cards
Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), maintained under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission of the Government of India, assigns a unique 14-digit health ID to link all the medical records of a user. ABHA acts as a secure digital repository of medical records and allows users to access their medical history from anywhere in the country. This ensures transparency, accountability, and accessibility of funds allocated for health services.
It should be noted that the ABHA card stores information such as name, demographic location, outpatient medical records, immunization details, diagnostic tests or laboratory reports, over-the-counter drug purchases, hospital admissions summary and prescriptions.
Why get an ABHA card?
There are many reasons why you should get an ABHA card.
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Provides 24/7 access to health records.
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It eliminates the time-consuming task of physically storing paperwork and medical records, and sharing your ABHA number with your doctor and insurance company simplifies the process.
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The ABHA mobile app also ensures secure and consent-based sharing of health data.
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Another benefit of using the ABHA card is that it is convenient for doctors as all the medical records of an individual are stored in one place, which allows medical professionals to easily collaborate with other healthcare professionals to come up with better treatment plans.
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Additionally, the ABHA card eliminates the need to repeat the same tests when you change healthcare providers, saving you time and money.
How to get ABHA card?
Here are the steps to get your ABHA card:
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Indian citizens can register for their ABHA card by downloading the ABHA app from Google Play Store or Apple Store.
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Next, you will need to create a profile where you enter some basic personal information such as your name, gender, and age.
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Post this, upload your Aadhaar/PAN card or passport to verify the information shared.
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Then, set a security PIN and wait for your account to become available.
Additionally, it is important to link the ABHA card to the policyholder’s health insurance plan, which allows the insurance company to access the policyholder’s medical records, including tests and expenses. Moreover, this facilitates the settlement of claims. PM Jay This eliminates the need for policyholders to submit physical documents.
Characteristics of ABHA
Below are some of the features of ABHA that will enhance users’ hospital experience:
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AB-PMJAY policyholders can enjoy cashless payments while undergoing treatment at affiliated hospitals and nursing homes across the country, thus easing the financial burden during medical emergencies and providing immense peace of mind to beneficiaries.
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It will ensure seamless access to services for beneficiaries and will be available across multiple healthcare providers under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
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ABHA will use real-time monitoring to track the utilization of funds and ensure efficient allocation of resources.
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ABHA includes an electronic medical record that makes it easier to store and retrieve patient information, streamlining the delivery of care.
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Digital transactions and electronic records will increase transparency and accountability in the health system, reduce room for corruption, and ensure that funds are used for their intended purposes.
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ABHA manages the allocation and disbursement of funds and ensures that funds are transferred quickly and securely to health care providers.
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ABHA will verify the genuineness of the claim and make payment accordingly.
ABHA Card Benefits
Beneficiaries can enjoy the following ABHA card benefits:
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It provides financial protection to vulnerable members of society by covering the cost of health care services and reducing out-of-pocket expenses.
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Strengthening access to quality healthcare
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Cashless payments and electronic health records for AB-PMJAY policyholders will drive efficiency in healthcare delivery, reduce administrative hassles and allow healthcare providers to focus on patient care.
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Valuable data insights can be taken into account during policy formulation to effectively address healthcare challenges.
What you need to know
Learn about the important things ABHA card users need to know.
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The ABHA card is different from the Ayushman Bharat card, notably the latter provides medical services to Ayushman Bharat Yojana beneficiaries.
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The ABHA number will be used only to link all health records of an individual and does not imply registration under AB-PMJAY.
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ABHA is not a replacement for the current Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) services or CGHS HMIS, in fact it is an addition to the current set of services provided by CGHS.
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Linking your health records to the ABHA allows other physicians to see your relevant medical history, helping them develop effective treatment plans and make good clinical decisions.
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A federated architecture is used to manage health records on the platform, meaning medical records continue to be processed and stored in the same place where they were created.
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Medical records will be created and stored by healthcare providers in accordance with their policies. The Government will only facilitate secure data exchange between covered stakeholders on the Platform.
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To ensure interoperability, only data collected for registries such as the Health ID Registry, Health Professional Registry and Health Facility Registry will be stored safely and securely centrally.
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Only ABHA beneficiaries can share their records with health facilities and medical professionals.
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The ABHA card can also be used outside public hospitals if private health centres decide to use it for creating and linking health records.
The Future of ABHA
Playing a key role in transforming service delivery, ABHAs have huge potential in shaping the digital future of healthcare in India. Find out how the Government of India envisions the future of ABHAs.
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New features and functionality will be incorporated to address the evolving needs of the healthcare sector.
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There is potential for ABHA to be integrated with other healthcare schemes and initiatives to develop a unified and comprehensive healthcare ecosystem.
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To improve the effectiveness of ABHAs, attention should be paid to research and innovation on healthcare financing and delivery models.
Final thoughts
From facilitating cashless transactions for AB-PMJAY policyholders to fund management, the Ayushman Bharat Health Account will increase transparency in the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Using technology and a data-driven approach, ABHA will improve access to quality healthcare services and reduce the financial burden of vulnerable sections of society.
