Beware of Scams, There is No Premium for ‘Ayushman Bharat’ Scheme

A viral message claims that the flagship health insurance scheme has a premium payment of Rs 1,000-1,200 per family.

The prime minister is likely to make an announcement regarding the scheme in his Independence Day address.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

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CLAIM

A viral message on social media claims that the government's flagship health insurance scheme – 'Ayushman Bharat' – has a premium payment of Rs 1,000-1,200 per family, for a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per year.

The message reads:

"On 15th August 2018, Govt. of India is launching, the world's largest Social Health Insurance Plan " Ayushman Bharat* The Health Insurance premium will be *₹.1000-1200 / family for a health coverage of ₹5 Lacs per year* Please advise your friends about this scheme *especially the low income- low knowledged members of society ie. Your Maid, Driver, MilkMan, Grocery wala, Gardner, Newpaper vendor* etc.. to enroll."

Another version of the message reads:

On 15th August 2018, Govt. of India will launch, the world’s largest Social Health Insurance Plan “ Ayushman Bharat “. The Helath Insurance premium will be Rs.1000-1200 / family for a health coverage of Rs 5.00 Lacs per year. Please advise your friends n family .... 

TRUE OR FALSE?

The claims can be classified as ‘partially true’. The prime minister is expected to make an announcement regarding the scheme on 15 August, as part of his Independence day address, and the insurance does provide coverage of upto Rs 5 lakh rupees per family per year.

However, the claims regarding a premium and enrolment are not true.

NO PREMIUM PAYMENT

In an email exchange with The Quint, Indu Bhushan, the Chief Executive Officer of Ayushman Bharat, clarified that the programme was a cashless scheme.

This information is coming from some fraudsters. They have created some malicious websites and are circulating some misleading WhatsApp messages to defraud gullible people.

Bhsuhan also said that there was no "enrolment" required, unlike what the messages had claimed. The beneficiaries of the scheme will be based on the Census 2011 data.

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