Maharashtra directs all primary and urban primary health centres to join Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana network

Pune: The Maharashtra government has issued an order requiring all civic bodies and Zilla Parishads to ensure that every primary health centre (PHC) and urban primary health centre (UPHC) in the state is formally empanelled under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). The directive aims to broaden access to financial cover for a wide range of treatments at the local level through the state’s health insurance framework.

Annasaheb Chavan, chief executive officer of MJPJAY, told officials during a Tuesday meeting that the mandate will extend the scheme’s reach and strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots. The move will link more than 2,600 PHCs and UPHCs across Maharashtra with the Jan Arogya Yojana platform, making it easier for residents to obtain cashless care for a list of treatments that will expand from 1,300 to 2,000 in the coming week.

Chavan said the policy not only offers beneficiaries expanded coverage but also earmarks funds for the development and maintenance of these facilities. He noted that a portion of the allocated budget can be used to upgrade infrastructure, procure medical equipment, improve furniture and cover other essential consumable supplies.

In Pune city, implementation of the order is already in progress. Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of the Pune Municipal Corporation, said six civic hospitals, including the teaching hospital affiliated with the medical college and Kamala Nehru Hospital, are currently empanelled under the scheme. The corporation plans to accelerate the empanelment of all UPHCs to ensure that patients receive quality treatment within their communities.

The state government has pursued multiple steps to strengthen MJPJAY’s reach. These include efforts to bring charity hospitals into the scheme, creation of a dedicated corpus fund, and an upward revision of coverage for critical procedures, such as organ transplants, to Rs20 lakh.

Since July 2023, MJPJAY has provided universal health coverage to residents across Maharashtra. The scheme offers cashless care for specified secondary and tertiary ailments requiring hospitalisation. Each family is entitled to coverage of Rs5 lakh per year on a “family floater” basis, covering 34 medical specialties and all pre-existing conditions from day one. Eligible beneficiaries can receive cashless treatment at any government or private facility listed on the official MJPJAY portal.