Guwahati: Four northeastern states have matched or exceeded the national benchmark in issuing Ayushman cards to eligible families, with Mizoram emerging as one of the country’s best performers in the NE/hilly regions category, according to the National Health Authority’s Annual Report 2025-26 released on Friday.In Mizoram, 99% of families have at least one Ayushman card among the eligible families, the report stated.The report said that across 35 states and Union Territories, 80% of eligible families have at least one Ayushman card. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Ladakh have achieved 100% coverage. In the NE/hilly regions category, Mizoram secured the second position with 99% coverage, behind only Uttarakhand. Assam recorded 80% coverage, while Tripura and Meghalaya also figured among the top five states in the category.The report noted that Ayushman card creation has witnessed significant growth over the years, reflecting wider adoption of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). As the world’s largest public health scheme, AB PM-JAY protects millions of vulnerable families from medical expenses. “As of March 31, 2026, AB PM-JAY covers 15.14 crore eligible AB PM-JAY families and additional more than 9 crore state specific schemes families. The number of families possessing Ayushman cards increased from 1.26 crore in 2018-19 to 15.82 crore in 2025-26, registering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 37%,” the report added.The report further stated that the total number of individuals holding Ayushman cards stood at 43.71 crore as of March 31, 2026. Assam topped the NE/hilly regions category in beneficiary enrolment, with 72% of eligible beneficiaries enrolled under the scheme. It was followed by Uttarakhand and Mizoram at 68% each, Meghalaya at 59%, and Tripura among the top five performers.On healthcare utilisation, the report said the national average stood at 3,397 hospitalisations per lakh beneficiary population during 2025-26, though figures varied widely across states. In the NE/hilly regions category, Meghalaya ranked second nationally after Sikkim, with 7,403 hospitalisations per lakh beneficiaries, while Manipur secured the third position with 6,452 hospitalisations per lakh beneficiaries.
