Ayushman Bharat: 112 Treatment Packages Proposed for Public Hospitals From December 2026

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The National Health Authority has proposed reserving 112 treatment packages under the Ayushman Bharat scheme exclusively for government hospitals, with the new list scheduled to take effect in the Transaction Management System from 1 December 2026. The authority has written to all state health authorities, stating that 23 packages are already reserved for public facilities and 89 additional packages are now proposed for reservation. States retain the discretion to decide whether to remove these packages from private hospitals.

The proposal covers day-care treatments, operations and longer treatments across specialties including gynaecology, general surgery, mental health, general medicine, orthopaedics, ear-nose-throat and ophthalmology. Examples include high-risk delivery, alcohol liver disease, severe anaemia, pancreatitis, acute bronchitis, hepatitis, mood disorders, stress management, malaria, chikungunya, diarrhoea, biopsy, cyst, fistula, MTP, hysterectomy, cataract, psychological behaviour, mental disorders, anxiety, ADHD, glaucoma screening, fracture and ENT procedures. In Uttarakhand, the state health authority is assessing public hospital capacity and has sought treatment details from hospitals and specialists; the state has more than 350 public and private hospitals empanelled under the scheme.

Experts said the objective of removing these packages from private hospitals is to reduce expenditure on private providers and strengthen public hospital facilities so that patients receive direct benefit. However, the actual effect on patient access will depend on whether public hospitals have sufficient doctors, equipment and treatment capacity, which state health authorities are now assessing. Several states and union territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, have already partially implemented reservation of packages for public institutions.

What is the legal basis of Ayushman Bharat?

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana was launched as a centrally sponsored scheme in September 2018. The National Health Authority was set up to implement the scheme at the national level. The scheme draws its mandate from the National Health Policy 2017, which aimed to increase public health expenditure and achieve universal health coverage. The policy itself was preceded by the National Health Policy of 2002 and the Bhore Committee report of 1946, which first proposed a comprehensive public health system for India. The Ayushman Bharat scheme is not based on a standalone Act of Parliament but operates through executive decisions and guidelines issued by the central government.

What is the Ayushman Bharat scheme?

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana provides eligible beneficiaries with health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. Beneficiaries can access treatment through empanelled public and private hospitals across the country. The scheme is administered by the National Health Authority at the central level and by state health authorities in each state.

What does the proposal aim to achieve and what are the challenges?

The proposed reservation of 112 packages for public hospitals aims to reduce the scheme's expenditure on private hospitals and strengthen government healthcare facilities by directing more patients to them. However, the success of the move depends on whether public hospitals have adequate doctors, equipment and infrastructure to handle the additional patient load. State health authorities are currently assessing capacity, and Uttarakhand has sought detailed information from hospitals and specialists. If public hospitals lack capacity, patients may face delays or reduced access to treatment.

What is the next step for states?

States must decide whether to adopt the proposed restriction and remove the 89 additional packages from private hospitals. The National Health Authority has said the revised list will be applied in the Transaction Management System from 1 December 2026, and states that wish to participate can give their approval. Uttarakhand has held meetings with hospitals and specialists and is collecting data on treatment and procedures currently provided under these packages.