Varanasi: With more than 77,530 Ayushman Vaya Vandana Cards issued to senior citizens for free medical treatment, Varanasi has ranked fourth in the state under the scheme.Chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Mukesh Kumar said no social or economic eligibility criteria are required to avail of the benefit. The only requirement is that the beneficiary must be 70 years of age or above, which will be verified through the date of birth recorded on the Aadhaar card.He said senior citizens aged 70 years and above who are already part of families covered under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) will receive an additional shared top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per year.“Even if other family members have partially or fully used the original family wallet, senior citizens will continue to receive this additional health protection for treatment,” he said.Similarly, if senior citizens use the original family wallet, other family members will remain eligible for a top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh.Families not yet covered under the scheme will receive health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for senior citizens aged 70 years and above.
