ABHA stands for Ayushman Bharat Health Account. The government’s digital health mission describes it as a 14-digit unique number or account used to link a person’s health records and build a digital health ecosystem.
This digital ID allows people to keep all their health records in one secure place and share them easily with authorized doctors or hospitals when needed. It can be created free of cost.
The link between ABHA and Ayushman Bharat is digital integration. An ABHA ID can be used to connect hospital records, prescriptions, lab reports, and treatment history generated during treatment under PM-JAY or other healthcare services.
Both operate under the larger Ayushman Bharat framework, but they serve different purposes.
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An eventful first day at Nabanna as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
Today, we transformed promises into action. Chaired the first Cabinet Meeting and took 6 landmark decisions to reclaim the glory of our State:-
1) Ayushman Bharat: Finally, the people of West Bengal will… pic.twitter.com/rjmpyCjUFy— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) May 11, 2026
How does Ayushman Bharat differ from the Swasthya Sathi scheme?
Swasthya Sathi is West Bengal’s state-run health ‘assurance’ scheme. It is meant to help families get cashless treatment for secondary and tertiary care at empaneled hospitals within West Bengal, with a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family each year.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) provides a similar health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. It can be used at hospitals nationwide.
If a patient in Kolkata needs treatment at a specialist hospital in Chennai, Delhi, or Vellore, they can access cashless care under their PM-JAY card at any empanelled hospital across India.
Swasthya Sathi never offered this option. It is tied to West Bengal’s scheme structure and hospital network.
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A separate cover for citizens aged 70 and above
Under Ayushman Bharat’s recent expansion, every Indian citizen aged 70 and above gets a separate Rs 5 lakh health cover. This is regardless of their income, economic category, or whether they are already covered under another family’s PM-JAY card.
This is not available under Swasthya Sathi’s family floater model.
SECC 2011 makes PM-JAY coverage selective
Both schemes offer cashless coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family per year, but they operate very differently. This is the most important issue for households in Bengal.
The 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is crucial since it can establish the boundaries of coverage. Families who do not meet SECC requirements may not be automatically enrolled under PM-JAY. Swasthya Sathi has near-universal coverage in WB.
This raises a question. Who is automatically counted in the new system and who does not?
The funding and delivery systems also differ. PM-JAY is a cooperative program with 60% federal and 40% state support, whereas Swasthya Sathi is fully sponsored by the state government.
