Mukh Mantri Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana (Punjab)

What is the need for this Scheme?

Although the economy of Punjab is relatively developed, nothing can escape from medical emergencies. When a serious ailment strikes, the expenses of private hospitals can cause a lot of trouble to a daily wage worker. Prior to 2019 many families in Punjab with low income status did not have any formal health coverage system.

The Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY has excluded a significant portion of the working population in Punjab as it has been limited to SECC 2011 families. To fill in this gap, SSBY extended its cover to all Smart Ration Card holders, J-form farmer families, small traders, journalists, and construction workers. As per the Punjab Budget 2024-25, e-cards have been issued to 35.59 lakh families out of 44.10 lakh eligible families with around ₹2,227 crore of claims processed so far. In 2026, MMSY was upgraded to expand its coverage and eliminate all category restrictions.

Eligibility

Since January 2026, under MMSY, eligibility is universal. Under the earlier SSBY framework, the following specific categories were covered:

• SECC 2011 database families under the central AB PM-JAY component.
• Smart Ration Card holders under the state component.
• J-form holder farmers are small and marginal farmers registered with the Agriculture Department.
• Small traders registered with the Excise and Taxation Department.
• Accredited and Yellow Card journalists registered with the state.
• Construction workers registered with the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

Under the current MMSY (January 2026 onwards):

• Every bona fide resident of Punjab is eligible, no income cap, no category restriction, no age limit.
• Approximately 65 lakh families covering nearly 3 crore people are now covered.
• Around 20 lakh families previously excluded have been included now.

Registration Process

Registration under MMSY is being rolled out through health camps, CSCs, and empanelled hospitals.

Through Health Camps:

• The Punjab government has set up 128 registration camps per district.
• Carry your Aadhaar card and Voter ID to the nearest camp.
• Registration completes in 10–15 days, after which the MMSY Health Card is issued.
• Those who miss a camp can still access treatment by showing Aadhaar or Voter ID at any empanelled hospital.

Online:

• Visit sha.punjab.gov.in → "Citizen Corner" → check eligibility using Aadhaar number.
• For e-card generation, download the Ayushman App or visit beneficiary.nha.gov.in.

At a Common Service Centre (CSC):

• Go to sha.punjab.gov.in → "Citizen Corner" → "Location for E-Card Generation (CSC)".
• Select your district, find the nearest CSC, and carry your Aadhaar and Voter ID.

At an Empanelled Hospital:

• Visit the Arogya Mitra help desk (No appointment slip needed from February 2026).
• Staff checks for eligibility and supports access in case of emergency.

Benefits and Coverage

• One time per family per year (cashless, floater basis) at empanelled hospitals.
• More than 2000 treatment packages including cardiac surgery, cancer, neurosurgery, kidney dialysis and transplant, orthopaedics, burns, neonatal care and emergency.
• Coverage for pre-existing diseases from day one – no waiting period.
• Pre-hospitalisation expenses- costs up to 3 days prior to admission.
• Post-hospitalisation care- medicines and diagnostics for up to 15 days after discharge are covered.
• Package rates include all of the specialist fees, surgeon fees, and fees for the ICU.
• Fixed prices with no hidden charges – standardised package pricing.
• Portability for SECC families- AB-PMJAY empanelled hospitals across India will be able to treat the ₹5 lakh central component for PM-JAY families.
• For the SECC families, who are not premiums, the funding ratio was 60:40 between Centre and state and all other families were fully funded by Punjab.

Note: Important limitation: at present, major hospital chains like Fortis and Max are not included in the MMSY empanelled list. Prior to treatment in a private hospital, please consult the latest list of hospitals published at sha.punjab.gov.in.

MMSY beneficiaries of maternity hospitalisation can also avail Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) for maternity incentives and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) for maternity cash support simultaneously. Antenatal care is aligned with Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan Yojana (SUMAN), which provides free specialist check-ups. TB patients can simultaneously access ₹1,000 per month through Nikshay Poshan Yojana. Families whose costs exceed the scheme limit can seek additional one-time assistance through Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), up to ₹15 lakh at government super-specialty hospitals.

What is NOT covered:

• OPD consultations not leading to hospitalisation.
• Cosmetic and elective procedures not on the approved list.
• Treatment at non-empanelled private hospitals.
• Drug de-addiction and fertility treatments.

Documents Required

• Aadhaar card- mandatory for identity and biometric verification.
• Voter ID card- required at registration camps.
• Smart Ration Card- for earlier SSBY category verification if needed.
• J-form- for farmer families under the earlier SSBY framework.
• Old SSBY/MMSBY health card- if available, advisable to retain during transition.
• Mobile number- for OTP verification and SMS alerts.

Card Download Process

• Download the Ayushman App from Google Play Store- log in with an Aadhaar-linked mobile number and download your card.
• Visit beneficiary.nha.gov.in- enter Aadhaar or mobile number, verify via OTP, download e-card PDF.
• Visit sha.punjab.gov.in → "Citizen Corner" → e-card download section.

For checking disabled e-card status: sha.punjab.gov.in → "Citizen Corner" → "Check Disabled E-Cards Status" → enter E-Card ID and captcha.

Existing SSBY cardholders- old cards remain valid during the transition period until replaced by new MMSY cards.

Claim Process

MMSY works on a fully cashless model. No advance payment, no reimbursement paperwork.

• Visit any empanelled hospital with your MMSY Health Card or Aadhaar card.
• Approach the Arogya Mitra help desk; no appointment slip required.
• The hospital submits pre-authorisation online for planned procedures before treatment begins.
• In emergencies, treatment begins immediately- pre-authorisation follows.
• All bills are settled directly between SHA Punjab and the hospital; the patient pays nothing.
• Post-discharge medicines and diagnostics for 15 days are covered under the same package.

Families with members having Autism, Cerebral Palsy, or Multiple Disabilities can additionally explore the Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme for specialised disability coverage. Children under Mission Vatsalya and adolescent girls under the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) who are Punjab residents can also access MMSY benefits.

Residents of other states can explore parallel schemes, Swasthya Sathi in West Bengal, KASP in Kerala, CMCHIS in Tamil Nadu, Dr. YSR Aarogyasri in Andhra Pradesh, Rajiv Aarogyasri in Telangana, Arogya Karnataka, Atal Amrit Abhiyan in Assam, Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana in Odisha, and Ayushman Bharat UP.

Helpline Details

• National Ayushman Bharat Helpline: 14555, available 24 hours.
• SHA Punjab Helpline: 104.
• Official SHA Punjab Portal: sha.punjab.gov.in.
• National Beneficiary Portal: beneficiary.nha.gov.in.
• Ayushman App: Google Play Store- card download, hospital search, eligibility check.
• SHA Punjab Office: State Health Agency Punjab, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, Sector 34-A, Chandigarh ,160022.

Any empanelled hospital that denies cashless treatment or demands out-of-pocket payment must be reported on the helpline immediately.

Why MMSSABY Matters for the General Public

The scheme which was initiated in 2019 and covered some specific vulnerable groups expanded to cover the entire population of Punjab under the umbrella of a universal health cover of ₹10 lakh by January 2026. The MMSY card provides access to treatment for a construction worker in Jalandhar whose wife has cancer or a farmer in Ferozepur whose aged father is undergoing kidney dialysis without involving the family in financial distress.

Punjab is the first state in India to provide universal coverage with ₹10 lakh. However, there are some holes in the scheme: for example, major private chains such as Fortis are not yet empanelled, OPD exclusions are a drawback, and the rollout of the scheme is district by district, which means that some families in remote areas may not be able to benefit from the scheme at first. However, as a measure to make sure none of the citizens of Punjab goes into medical debt, MMSY has become an example for other states to emulate.