Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Ayushman Bharat is being considered one of the biggest health insurances in India. In Kerala, the number of the card holders are look impressive. According to central data, more than 7.67 million Ayushman cards have been issued in the state. 4.2 million poor and vulnerable families are covered.

However, the reality seems to be different at the hospital door. The data does not sit well with the actual care at the hospital. Several seniors citizens are struggling to get insurance despite possessing valid Ayushman card, which seems to be useless at the hospital gate. A Thiruvananthapuram resident says her mother has been at the PRS hospital in the state capital city for the last 4 days after a fall at home, and they did not have medical insurance.

Read Also: Denied Ayushman Bharat Scheme Benefits, Elderly Cancer Patient Dies By Suicide In Bengaluru: Report

“But my Mother had enrolled for the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY health scheme for Senior Citizens in 2024. But that is not acceptable at the PRS hospital or, I believe, at other private hospitals in Trivandrum,” the resident said, alleging that the PMJAY health scheme is therefore “as useless as the person whose name it carries.”

In contrast, the data shows over 89,800 senior citizens were enrolled, and more than 579 hospitals across Kerala are empanelled to provide free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in just one week.

Read Also: PM Modi’s Ayushman Bharat Insurance Scheme Faces Criticism From AAP, Calls For Nationwide Adoption

While 579 hospitals are empanelled, many leading private hospitals in major cities like Thiruvananthapuram are either not part of the network, or refuse Ayushman cards for certain departments. Senior citizens who enrolled specifically for hospital coverage find themselves allegedly paying out from their pocket despite holding a valid card.

As Kerala’s healthcare model relies heavily on private hospitals, many of them cite delayed reimbursements, low package rates, and strict audit scrutiny as reasons for staying out or limiting AB-PMJAY beds. At the same time, the Centre’s crackdown is real. With AI-based monitoring and mass de-empanelment, hospitals found violating norms face suspension, penalties and criminal cases.

This results in trust deficit, making the scheme only on paper. Hospitals too feel the compliance burden is too high. The situation has called for debate on the issue, while emphasising for the need to have a proper grievance redressal so a senior citizen with a valid card is not turned away at admission.

Though the Ayushman Bharat card has Kerala’s healthcare numbers, it is yet to strengthen access at the hospital gate.