Ayushman Bharat, the government’s flagship health insurance scheme, has been around since 2018. Its goal is to make healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone. Most beneficiaries, however, choose to seek treatment in private hospitals, even though many government hospitals are part of the scheme.
According to a recent report from the National Health Authority, over 52% of hospitalizations under Ayushman Bharat happen in private facilities. Interestingly, these private hospitals account for nearly two-thirds of the entire treatment cost—about Rs 1.29 lakh crore across nine crore treatments since the scheme began.
Despite only 45% of the 31,005 registered hospitals being privately operated, the trend shows a clear preference for private care. The most commonly sought treatment? Hemodialysis, especially crucial for patients with kidney failure. It makes up around 14% of all treatments accessed. This could be due to the frequency of the procedure, which many require two to three times per week.
Other prevalent treatments include care for fevers, gastroenteritis, and animal bites. The top specialities availed were general medicine, ophthalmology, and general surgery. States like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab see high volumes of patients seeking treatment both within their borders and from other states thanks to the portability feature of the scheme, which allows patients to choose hospitals beyond their home state.
Interestingly, as of March 2025, Chandigarh has seen the highest number of incoming patients—19%—while Uttar Pradesh tops the list for those seeking treatment outside their state, accounting for 24% of outbound cases. Other states with significant outbound numbers include Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
The government is also making strides in digital health record-sharing. The National Health Authority has linked 50 crore health records since 2021. This new digital infrastructure, aimed at creating a seamless healthcare experience, is a step forward in modern healthcare management. About 60% of the population now has an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number that helps store their health information digitally.
With these advancements, the government is working to register healthcare facilities and personnel which further boosts the system’s efficiency. Currently, 3.8 lakh health facilities and 5.8 lakh healthcare professionals are registered in the database.
Ayushman Bharat was launched to counter the high costs of healthcare, especially as around 60% of urban and 52% of rural healthcare services are provided by private entities. The scheme has helped many avoid severe financial strain due to medical expenses, reducing out-of-pocket spending while boosting government expenditure on healthcare.
The increasing reliance on private hospitals raises questions about the future of public healthcare. Will the system shift further towards privatization, or can the government enhance the public sector’s appeal? Only time will tell.
For more insights on the Ayushman Bharat scheme, you can visit the [National Health Authority](https://abnhpm.gov.in/) to explore detailed reports and updates.
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