Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA Card)

The Government initiated the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission(ABDM) on 27th September 2021. It aimed at developing a system to introduce an integrated digital health infrastructure for the country. The ABDM Ecosystem establishes the link between the citizens and the related stakeholders, such as the hospitals, laboratories, insurance providers, doctors, NGOs, regulators, and the Government.

The Ayushman Bharat Health Account Card uniquely identifies every citizen in this digital mission. It contains a 14-digit identification number that can be accessed and used anywhere in India and allows you to share your medical records with medical practitioners across the country.

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is directed towards strengthening the equity of healthcare services and providing a citizen-centric approach for a holistic healthcare programme utilising IT and related technologies. Some of the primary objectives are:

1. Streamline core digital health data for seamless exchange.
2. Introduce registries at the appropriate levels to establish a single source of true information regarding health records.
3. Establish a digital repository of health records based on International Standards, making it easily accessible for patients and healthcare professionals.
4. Establish a system for the portability of health services across the country.
5. Ensure quality of healthcare services.

Having seen the mission's objectives, let us understand how it will benefit us in our day-to-day life.

1. Secure and access your medical records, such as prescriptions, discharge summaries, diagnostic reports, etc., and share them with the healthcare providers and ensure appropriate treatment with the necessary follow-ups.
2. Provide a source for maintaining accurate information.
3. Provide a system to access healthcare services online through teleconsultation applications.
4. Help make well-informed and better decisions timely on a medical condition.
5. Provides access to private and public health services and ensures compliance with the established standards and transparency in pricing.
6. Healthcare professionals will have access to the medical records on the ABHA card consistently maintained over a treatment to understand the patient's medical condition better and provide the right treatment and medical prescriptions.
7. Help access and claim health insurance benefits better and facilitate faster reimbursements. It will also aid in easing the services provided by the healthcare professionals at the hospitals.
8. Access to the micro and macro-level data will provide the source for advanced analytics, helping policymakers introduce or initiate programs for quality healthcare services throughout the country. In addition, the demography-based information will aid in strengthening the system for assisting the underprivileged sections of society to a great extent.
9. Researchers and policymakers can evaluate the effectiveness of a healthcare program and take the necessary steps to improvise healthcare services and better treatments for the larger sections of people in India.
10. Increase the accountability of healthcare service providers as the treatment is captured digitally at the national level with better transparency.

A health insurance is essential to healthcare as it helps you and your family prepare for unexpected medical expenses. In addition, it helps reduce the financial burden in case of a medical emergency that can lead to huge hospitalisation and treatment expenses.

The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) card can help you access and claim health insurance benefits through its integration with insurance providers. By linking your ABHA card with your insurance providers, you can ensure faster reimbursements and ease the process of claiming benefits. Furthermore, critical illness insurance can provide financial protection and peace of mind, especially in a medical emergency or long-term illness.

The ABHA card also facilitates access to private and public health services. In addition, it ensures compliance with established standards and transparency in pricing so that you can make well-informed decisions. At Tata AIG, we provide seamless online procedures to access the products and claim their benefits either through cashless or reimbursement claims. Overall, having an ABHA card and being enrolled in a health insurance policy can provide you with a comprehensive healthcare solution that helps ensure access to necessary medical care while protecting yourself financially.

You can apply for the ABHA card benefits online or offline. It is a relatively simple and easy process.

Online method - Through the ABHA mobile application, official website - https://healthid.ndhm.gov.in, or a third-party websites..

Offline method - Healthcare Centres

You will need a valid mobile number and Aadhaar Card, Passport, or Driving license to apply for the ABHA card in any of these methods.

The steps to create the ABHA number on the website online are as follows:

• Visit the official website of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission or download and open the ABHA mobile application.
• Click on "Create ABHA Number"
• Choose the option between using the Aadhaar Card or the Driving License.
• Click on Next and provide your personal details and mobile number.
• On successful submission and verification, you can download your ABHA ID.

You can use the credentials to utilise the benefits available under ABHA online or on the mobile application.

The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) card is an initiative introduced by the Indian Government to provide citizens with a digital platform to maintain their medical records. The card contains a unique 14-digit identification number that can be accessed and used anywhere in India, enabling sharing of medical records with healthcare practitioners across the country.

The ABDM aims to strengthen the equity of healthcare services and provide a citizen-centric approach to a holistic healthcare program utilising IT and related technologies. The ABHA card will benefit citizens by providing easy access to medical records, teleconsultation, and health insurance benefits, and also aid policymakers in introducing programs for quality healthcare services throughout the country.