Difference Between ABHA & Ayushman Card


The ABHA or Ayushman Bharat Health Account and the Ayushman card are schemes offered by the Indian Government to increase accessibility and affordability of healthcare among less fortunate groups in the country. These schemes share a common aim to improve the healthcare services provided to beneficiaries of specific socio-economic status. However, they have different purposes and target different groups in the society.

Knowing the different features, eligibility criteria, and benefits of the Ayushman Bharat Card and the ABHA Health ID Card can help you determine which card is more suited for you. Below are the differences between ABHA & Ayushman Card.

ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) is a digital health ID for storing medicalrecords, while the Ayushman Bharat card offers financial coverage for healthcare services. They servedistinct purposes: one for record-keeping, the other for financial support. This is the key differencebetween ABHA & Ayushman Card.

ABHA Card vs. Ayushman Card

Components Ayushman Card ABHA
Purpose Provides you cashless health care services. The ABHA offers the ability to access and share your health records digitally.
Eligibility The card is offered to the financially weaker families in society. The ABHA is available to all Indian nationals.
Benefits Offers free hospitalisation and treatment in empanelled hospitals. Provides a unique identity that stores all your health records.
Coverage Provides ₹5 lakhs in a year to all underprivileged families. Stores unlimited medical records including reports, tests results, etc.
Income Group The Ayushman card is specifically given to low-income groups. ABHA is available to all Indian citizens.
Enrollment The card is mandatory for all those who fall under the beneficiary list. The ABHA is voluntary.

Do you need an emergency loan?

Understanding ABHA Card

ABHA or Ayushman Bharat Health Account is an account that offers you a unique 14 digit identification number that will be linked to your Aadhaar number. This ID will then have a record of all your medical and health reports. Making it easy for you to access your records digitally and easily share them with healthcare professionals when required.

Features of ABHA

ABHA offers various features that allows you to benefit the most from the scheme. Given below are the various features of ABHA:

  • Safe and Seamless Transition: With your health records safely in one place, you can easily coordinate between different doctors and hospitals ensuring continuity of care across various healthcare services.
  • Unified Benefits: Get all healthcare benefits, including public health programs and insurance schemes linked to the unique ABHA number. This provides a unified platform for managing healthcare needs.
  • Easy Access to Medical Information: The account allows you to access your medical information easily and digitally. Allowing you to check test results, medication prescriptions, and other relevant details whenever you need.
  • Enhanced Doctor-Patient Interaction: Easy sharing of medical records with doctors, thereby helping you get quick and accurate help as the doctor gets comprehensive insights into your health history.
  • Acceptance of AYUSH Treatments: The ABHA is accepted at AYUSH treatment institutions offering you alternative healthcare practices such as Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, Unani, and homoeopathy.
  • Hassle-Free Access and PHR Sign-Up: Simplifies access to medical information by securely storing documents digitally and facilitating easy sign-up for Personal Health Records (PHR) applications.

Understanding Ayushman Card

The Ayushman Card issued under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), is an initiative by the Government to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to all, especially those belonging to economically disadvantaged families. The scheme offers financial help that covers various medical procedures and expenses. The Ayushman card is offered to eligible people based on their income, occupation, housing and data collected from the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC).

Do you need a medical loan?

Features of Ayushman Card

The Ayushman card is an important initiative that offers beneficiaries the following features:

  • Accessibility to Healthcare: The Ayushman Bharat Card helps and supports economically disadvantaged individuals to get access to essential healthcare services at affordable prices.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Each family, who are beneficiaries of the scheme will be eligible for an annual coverage of up to ₹5 lakh. This ensures financial protection against hospitalisation or any medical expenses that are covered under the scheme.
  • Pre and Post-Hospitalisation Costs: The card covers expenses from the three days of pre-hospitalisation and for fifteen days post-hospitalisation for extra care. Therefore, reducing the financial burden on beneficiaries.
  • Cashless and Paperless Treatment: Beneficiaries can get access to cashless and paperless treatment in the various empaneled hospitals. This helps to simplify healthcare processes relieving beneficiaries of immediate financial expenses. Furthermore, the paperless treatment allows for minimal errors and speeds up the treatment process.
  • Covers Secondary and Tertiary Care:The scheme covers secondary hospitalisation where you can get access to specialists and minor surgical procedures. As well as tertiary care for more advanced and sophisticated surgeries. By covering such costs for serious health conditions, the scheme provides a safety net for families that might be unable to afford such high-level medical care.

Not sure of your credit score? Check it out for free now!

Check Your Credit Score for Free

Also get a Free Credit Report

Impact of ABHA & Ayushman Card on Public Health

The introduction of the Ayushman Bharat Card and the ABHA Health ID has had a significant positive impact on public health in India. These initiatives have greatly improved healthcare accessibility, making it affordable and thereby increasing the quality of life for many disadvantaged groups. Here are the various ways that the Ayushman Card and ABHA has impacted the public:

  • Reduced Financial Burden: The scheme has significantly reduced the financial burden and out-of-pocket costs for many economically disadvantaged families. Helping them get the help they need.
  • Improved Healthcare Accessibility: The two initiatives have increased access to healthcare services for many more Indians, ensuring that more people receive timely and adequate medical care.
  • Enhanced Data Management: The digital storage of medical records through the ABHA Health ID has simplified healthcare management, making it easier for patients and providers to access and share crucial health information. Ensuring the right diagnosis and healthcare service to all.

Do you need an instant loan?

Frequently Asked Questions

The ABHA card or Ayushman Bharat Health Account is a unique 14-digit health ID that stores your medical records digitally, ensuring easy access and sharing.

The Ayushman card is a card that provides cashless healthcare services through empanelled hospitals to economically vulnerable families under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, covering up to ₹5 lakhs annually.

he ABHA’s purpose is to store medical records digitally, while the Ayushman card offers cashless treatment for economically vulnerable families.

The ABHA and Ayushman cards are both issued by the National Health Authority of India.

Yes, you can have both an ABHA card and an Ayushman card, as they serve different purposes in healthcare management.

Yes, ABHA card offers digital health record management, while Ayushman card provides cashless, accessible and affordable treatment for economically weaker sections.

No, the application for ABHA cardmay differ from the application for Ayushman Card as ABHA requires personal information and Aadhaar, while Ayushman card is for financial coverage.

No, ABHA card stores health records, so you cannot use it for services under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

The ABHA card is eligible to all Indians while the Ayushman card is given to those recognised as economically disadvantaged families.

Yes, ABHA manages your medical records while Ayushman cards offer medical services under different empanelled hospitals in the country.

Display of trademarks, trade names, logos, and other subject matters of Intellectual Property displayed on this website belongs to their respective intellectual property owners & is not owned by Bvalue Services Pvt. Ltd. Display of such Intellectual Property and related product information does not imply Bvalue Services Pvt. Ltd company’s partnership with the owner of the Intellectual Property or proprietor of such products.

Please read the Terms & Conditions carefully as deemed & proceed at your own discretion.