Ayushman Bharat Card in West Bengal 2026: Apply Online, Eligibility, Hospitals & ₹5 Lakh Cover
Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) is now live in West Bengal. The state joined the central health scheme after the 2026 change of government and rolled it out on 16 August 2026, together with a state scheme, the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana (MSBY), for families who do not qualify under PM-JAY. Both give cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year. The card can be used at about 2,500 linked hospitals in Bengal and roughly 40,000 hospitals across India. By late October 2026, about 4.13 crore health cards had been issued and about 1.8 lakh patients treated. You can get the card online on the official Ayushman portal/app with Aadhaar e-KYC, at a Common Service Centre, at an empanelled hospital, or at Janakalyan Shibir camps.
Ayushman Bharat in West Bengal at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Schemes | Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) + Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana (MSBY) |
| Decision | Announced at the new government's first Cabinet meeting (May 2026) |
| Rollout | 16 August 2026 (health cards distributed at the launch event) |
| Benefit | Cashless hospital treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year; about 1,950 procedures |
| Where | Empanelled government and private hospitals in Bengal; portability to hospitals in other states |
| Funding | Centre 60% : State 40% |
| Card | Ayushman card (PM-JAY) — via official portal/app, CSC, hospital or camp |
| Helpline | 14555 (national PM-JAY helpline) |
Why this is big news for Bengal
When Ayushman Bharat started nationally in 2018, West Bengal stayed out and ran its own Swasthya Sathi scheme, which worked only inside the state. After the BJP won the 2026 Assembly election, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced at his first Cabinet meeting that the state would implement Ayushman Bharat. The combined scheme went live on 16 August 2026.
The biggest practical change is portability: a Bengal cardholder can now get cashless treatment at an empanelled hospital in another state at the same package rates — useful for families who go to Vellore, Bengaluru, Delhi or Odisha for treatment. By late October, about 4,600 patients from Bengal had been treated in hospitals outside the state.
Numbers so far (as of late October 2026)
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Health cards issued | About 4.13 crore |
| Applications pending | About 1.8 crore |
| Patients treated / admitted | About 1.8 lakh |
| Value of treatment delivered | About ₹291 crore |
| Bengal patients treated in other states | About 4,600 |
| Hospitals linked in West Bengal | About 2,500 (1,867 at launch: 1,240 private + 627 government) |
| Applications under the CM's state scheme | Nearly 2.5 crore people |
Who is eligible?
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
PM-JAY covers families identified as eligible under the central criteria (based on deprivation and occupation data and the state's beneficiary lists such as those holding eligible ration cards). Under the national rules, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above can get the Ayushman Vay Vandana card regardless of income.
Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana (MSBY)
The state said that families who do not qualify for Ayushman Bharat are covered under MSBY, so that the earlier universal-style coverage of Swasthya Sathi is not lost. At launch the Chief Minister said the expansion would bring about 80 lakh families under coverage and include around 40 lakh senior citizens without specific eligibility conditions.
Not sure which scheme you are in? You do not need to decide yourself. Do the Aadhaar e-KYC on the official portal or at a hospital help desk ("Ayushman Mitra"), and the system will show whether your family is eligible under PM-JAY; otherwise ask about enrolment under the state scheme.
How to get the Ayushman card in West Bengal
Option 1 — Online (portal or app)
- Open the official site beneficiary.nha.gov.in or the official Ayushman App (by the National Health Authority) from the Play Store.
- Log in with your mobile number and OTP.
- Search your family — choose the scheme (PM-JAY), state West Bengal, and search by Aadhaar or ration card / family ID.
- Complete Aadhaar e-KYC for each member (OTP on Aadhaar-linked mobile, or face authentication in the app) and upload a photo if asked.
- Submit. Once approved, download the Ayushman card from the same portal/app.
Option 2 — At a Common Service Centre (CSC)
Carry Aadhaar and ration card. The CSC operator will do e-KYC and print the card. Card creation is free; a CSC may charge a small fee only for printing.
Option 3 — At an empanelled hospital
Every empanelled hospital has an Ayushman Mitra / PM-JAY help desk. If you are admitted without a card, they can verify eligibility and create it on the spot.
Option 4 — At Janakalyan Shibir camps
Ayushman Bharat enrolment was available at the October 2026 camps, and camps are scheduled again for November–December — see our Janakalyan Shibir guide.
Documents
- Aadhaar card of each family member (with mobile number linked to Aadhaar for OTP)
- Ration card / family ID
- Active mobile number
- For age 70+: Aadhaar showing date of birth
How to use the card in hospital
- Choose an empanelled hospital. Use "Find Hospital" on the official PM-JAY site/app, or ask at the hospital whether it is linked to Ayushman Bharat.
- Go to the Ayushman Mitra desk with your card (or Aadhaar).
- Identity check — Aadhaar/biometric verification of the patient.
- Pre-authorisation — the hospital requests approval for the treatment package online.
- Cashless treatment — no payment for covered procedures, medicines and tests within the package; pre- and post-hospitalisation costs are included as per package rules.
If a hospital asks you to pay for a treatment covered under the scheme, ask for the reason in writing and call 14555 to complain. Keep all bills and the discharge summary.
What happens to the Swasthya Sathi card?
When the new government announced Ayushman Bharat, it said Swasthya Sathi would not be withdrawn immediately and that both would run during the transition. The state's health cover now continues through the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana alongside PM-JAY. If you have a Swasthya Sathi card, show it along with Aadhaar at the hospital help desk — staff will tell you under which scheme your treatment will be processed. For background, see our Swasthya Sathi page.
| Point | Swasthya Sathi (earlier) | Ayushman Bharat + MSBY (now) |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | ₹5 lakh per family | ₹5 lakh per family per year |
| Hospitals | Inside West Bengal only | Bengal + empanelled hospitals across India |
| Funding | State | Centre 60% : State 40% (PM-JAY) |
| Card | Smart card in woman's name | Ayushman card per member (e-KYC) |
Issues being reported
Early challenges include enough beds for scheme patients, timely claim settlement for private hospitals, quality of care for poorer families outside Kolkata, and linking the national platform with the state scheme. Some institutions, including Ramakrishna Mission-run hospitals, raised concerns about package rates; the Chief Minister said the government would look into it. If your hospital stops accepting the card, try another empanelled hospital and report the problem on 14555.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ayushman Bharat available in West Bengal now?
Yes. Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY was rolled out in West Bengal on 16 August 2026, together with the state's Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana for families not covered by PM-JAY.
How much cover does the Ayushman card give?
Cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year at empanelled hospitals.
How can I make an Ayushman card in West Bengal?
Use the official beneficiary.nha.gov.in portal or the Ayushman App with Aadhaar e-KYC, or visit a Common Service Centre, an empanelled hospital's Ayushman Mitra desk, or a Janakalyan Shibir camp.
Can I use my Bengal Ayushman card in another state?
Yes. Portability is one of the main benefits — cardholders can get cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals in other states at the same package rates.
Is Swasthya Sathi closed?
The government said Swasthya Sathi would not be withdrawn abruptly; health cover continues through PM-JAY and the state's Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana. Ask at the hospital help desk how your treatment will be processed.
Do senior citizens above 70 get the card?
Under national rules all citizens aged 70+ can get the Ayushman Vay Vandana card regardless of income, and the state said around 40 lakh senior citizens would be included.
What is the Ayushman Bharat helpline number?
The national PM-JAY helpline is 14555.
Sources
- Outlook Money — "Ayushman Bharat, CM Health Scheme rolled out in West Bengal" (17 August 2026)
- Elets eHealth — Ayushman Bharat in West Bengal: 1.8 lakh patients, ₹291 crore since August rollout (29 October 2026)
- The Logical Indian — Bengal retains Swasthya Sathi while rolling out Ayushman Bharat (12 May 2026)
- National Health Authority — beneficiary.nha.gov.in and PM-JAY helpline 14555
Disclaimer: Annapurna Bhandar Info is an independent information website and is not connected to the Government of West Bengal. Always confirm details on the official portal or at your BDO/SDO office. We never ask for OTP, Aadhaar, bank or card details.