Exploring Gaps in Awareness and Utilization of the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka Scheme in Bangalore Urban District

Abstract Introduction: A health insurance scheme is one of the most reliable methods to provide financial coverage for those seeking medical care. The Government of India launched a healthcare scheme in 2018 called “Ayushman Bharat” to facilitate universal health coverage to provide affordable healthcare. Objectives: To determine the awareness and utilization of Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (ABArK) scheme and assess the barriers felt by those utilising the ABArK scheme in the field practice area of a selected secondary care center in Bangalore Urban district. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 270 adults in the field practice area of a secondary care hospital in Bangalore Urban District, Karnataka. Awareness and utilization regarding the ABArK scheme were assessed using a semi-structured, pretested, and expert-validated tool. Results: Among the subjects, 65.6% had awareness regarding the ABArK scheme, and 17.5% were beneficiaries of the scheme. The median awareness score regarding the scheme was 4.5 (interquartile range 0,7) (maximum score 16, range 0–11). Utilization of the scheme was 2.69 (1.32–5.45) times higher among the people with comorbidities. Conclusions: The low awareness levels about the scheme indicate the need for further dissemination of information and increased enrolment through intensification of activities to promote increased public and physician understanding of the scheme and its benefits.