The National Health Authority (NHA), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, organised a two-day National Review Meeting (Chintan Shivir) in New Delhi to review the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The meeting was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav.
During the inaugural session, the National Health Authority released its Annual Report along with a Compendium of Guidelines for District Implementation Units (DIUs), Beneficiary Empowerment (BE), and the Hospital Empanelment Module (HEM). According to the NHA, these documents are intended to support programme implementation and improve operational standardisation across States and Union Territories.
The meeting brought together officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Health Authority, and State and Union Territory governments to review progress under both schemes, assess implementation challenges, and discuss priorities for the next phase of healthcare reforms, including digital health initiatives.
Addressing the meeting, Prataprao Jadhav said AB-PMJAY has facilitated cashless treatment worth more than ₹1.91 lakh crore through over 37,000 empanelled hospitals since its launch. He also stated that more than 94 crore ABHA numbers have been created under ABDM, with over 100 crore digital health records linked.
Jadhav said future implementation of ABDM should focus on improving access to digital health records, strengthening integration with AB-PMJAY, and enhancing the availability of digital health services across States. He also called for closer coordination between the Centre and States in implementing the two flagship health programmes.
National Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal said the Chintan Shivir series has provided a platform for States and Union Territories to review programme performance, exchange implementation experiences, and discuss operational challenges. He highlighted the role of digital public infrastructure in supporting healthcare delivery and encouraged States to strengthen the use of data analytics and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
The review meeting assessed progress under AB-PMJAY in areas such as beneficiary coverage, hospital empanelment, claims management, and service delivery. Discussions also focused on increasing Ayushman Card generation, enrolment of ASHA workers, Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers, expansion of the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana, and greater use of data for programme monitoring.
Implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was also reviewed, with discussions on expanding digital health adoption, strengthening interoperability, and improving coordination between the Centre and States.
Officials reviewed several technology and policy initiatives, including the proposed planned pre-authorisation framework for selected medical procedures, improvements to the Auto-Adjudication Engine for claims processing, and the work of the National Anti-Fraud Unit (NAFU) in fraud detection and programme monitoring.
The meeting also reviewed upgrades to IT systems supporting beneficiary identification, hospital empanelment, transaction management, programme analytics, and user administration. Progress of the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX)-HMIS pilot was also discussed, with the initiative aimed at enabling interoperable digital exchange of health claims between hospitals and payers.
Discussions further covered convergence initiatives through the AB-PMJAY digital platform, including PM-RAHAT and other government health schemes, to strengthen interoperability and streamline service delivery.
The implementation roadmap for digital health initiatives launched by the National Health Authority on 29 June 2026 was also reviewed. These include Aarogya Setu 2.0, Ayushman App, Ayushman Sarathi WhatsApp Chatbot, e-Sushrut Clinic, Bharat Health Terminology Service (BHTS), Common LOINC Codes for India (CLCI), Drug Registry, Unified Health Interface (UHI), and the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX).
The first day of the meeting concluded with a presentation by AIIMS New Delhi on the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS), highlighting the use of artificial intelligence in clinical decision support. The second day was scheduled to include discussions on health financing, programme implementation, digital health adoption, innovation, data analytics, and best practices under AB-PMJAY and ABDM.