ABHA for Beginners: Understanding the Basics!

 

What is ABHA?

Acting as a one-stop digital repository, the Ayushman Bharat Health Account assigns a unique 14-digit number to link all the health records of a user. To get an ABHA number or a Health ID, one can enrol in ABDM free of cost.

Moreover, ABHA is an integral part of India's flagship health protection scheme - Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Intended to develop a digital health ecosystem, ABHA ensures transparency, accountability, and accessibility of funds that are allocated for healthcare services. Besides, it must be noted that getting an ABHA number does not mean enrolment in AB-PMJAY.

 

Features of ABHA

 

Let’s dive deeper to learn about the features of ABHA:

1. Audit and Oversight: ABHA features audit and oversight mechanisms to monitor the utilisation of funds and detect any related irregularities.

2. Beneficiary Identification: ABHA facilitates the identification and registration of eligible Ayushman Bharat scheme beneficiaries who get a unique health identification number (UHID).

3. Cashless Transactions: Eligible beneficiaries seeking treatment at empanelled hospitals across India enjoy cashless transactions. Further, this lowers the financial burden on beneficiaries in the event of medical emergencies.

4. Claim Settlement: ABHA processes claims submitted by healthcare centres against medical services offered to beneficiaries.

5. Funds Management: These accounts manage the allocation and disbursement of funds for healthcare services availed by beneficiaries.

6. Electronic Health Records: ABHA helps create, store and share electronic health records, which has made it easy to maintain medical histories and streamline healthcare delivery.

7. Portability: Portable across various healthcare providers empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, these accounts allow beneficiaries to access services seamlessly anytime, anywhere.

8. Real-time Monitoring: These accounts track the utilisation of funds in real time, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently.

9. Transparency and Accountability: ABHA enhances transparency and accountability in the healthcare system by promoting digital transactions and maintaining electronic records.

 

Benefits of ABHA

 

Here are the advantages of ABHA:

1. ABHA Mobile App: ABHA users can effortlessly access and share their health records digitally using the ABHA mobile app. They can also get digital lab reports and prescriptions without any hassle from doctors, labs and hospitals. Notably, the ABHA mobile app ensures secure and consent-driven sharing of health data.

2. Data-driven Decision Making: Generating valuable data insights, these accounts help in addressing healthcare challenges effectively and improving the overall quality of care.

3. Efficient Healthcare Delivery: ABHA lowers administrative hassles by facilitating cashless transactions and electronic health records. This lets medical professionals focus on patient care.

4. Financial Protection: By covering the cost of healthcare services under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, ABHA offers financial protection to vulnerable sections of society. This not only lowers out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries, but also enhances access to quality healthcare.

 

ABHA in the Future

 

ABHA is expected to expand with time to accommodate the evolving needs of the healthcare sector. Further, innovation in healthcare delivery and financing will enhance the effectiveness of ABHA.

Moreover, the Government of India also holds plans to integrate ABHA with other healthcare schemes and initiatives in the future. This will aid in developing a unified and comprehensive healthcare ecosystem.

 

Conclusion

 

To sum up, the Ayushman Bharat Health Account aims to improve access to quality healthcare by leveraging technology and data-driven approaches. It lets users create, store and share the electronic versions of their medical records with healthcare providers, including doctors and hospitals, without any hassle. All in all, ABHA helps bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem.

 

FAQs

1. Is it mandatory to register for ABHA?

No, it is not necessary for Indians to register for ABHA.

2. Can access to ABHA-linked health records be revoked?

Yes, an ABHA user can revoke access to his/her health records shared with a doctor or a hospital at any time.

3. Are health records safe in ABHA?

No one can access the health records of an ABHA user without his/her permission. It is to be noted that ABHA uses advanced encryption and security features to protect user data.