Assessing the Social Welfare Impact of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme: A Study Conducted in Udupi

The study highlights the significant social welfare impact of Ayushman Bharat, includingeconomic protection against medical expenses, improved health outcomes, enhanced healthequity for rural and marginalized populations. It also identifies the challenges facing theinitiative, such as the need for increased beneficiary awareness, consistent quality of care,better healthcare infrastructure, and prevention of fraud and abuseAyushman Bharat, launched by the Government of India in 2018, is a comprehensivehealthcare initiative aimed at enhancing the accessibility and affordability of healthcareservices for millions of Indians, particularly the economically disadvantaged. This researchexamines the two main components of Ayushman Bharat: the Health and Wellness Centres(HWCs) and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). HWCs are designed to providecomprehensive primary healthcare, while PM-JAY offers health insurance coverage up to INR5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care.Overall, Ayushman Bharat represents a transformative effort towards achieving universalhealth coverage in India, with substantial benefits for social welfare. However, addressing theidentified challenges is crucial for the sustained success and effectiveness of the program