Punjab is set to enhance its commitment to public health by increasing the per-family health insurance cover to Rs 10 lakh under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana, with the rollout expected in mid-January. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive cashless medical treatment to all families in the state, marking a significant step towards universal healthcare.
The enhanced scheme, announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in July, was initially slated for launch in October 2025 but faced delays due to the finalization of the insurer and empanelment of hospitals. According to sources, United India Insurance has been selected to provide cashless insurance to approximately three crore Punjab residents.
Under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana, around 65 lakh families across Punjab are expected to benefit from the increased health cover. The scheme will cover over 2,000 medical procedures and surgeries in empanelled hospitals. A senior health department officer stated that enrollment began in October 2025 as a pilot program in Tarn Taran and Barnala, with approximately 46,000 families (150,000 members) receiving Mukh Mantri Sehat Cards. These cards will be issued to residents of all other districts starting January 1.
The government is actively working to finalize the list of empanelled hospitals for cashless treatment. Currently, around 750 hospitals are empanelled, and the government intends to increase this number to 1,000 before the scheme's launch.
The insurance company will cover treatment costs up to Rs 1 lakh, with the state government covering the remaining expenses. The initial contract with the insurer will be for two years. Previously, the state's universal health insurance scheme, Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana, provided coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family. The new scheme doubles the insurance cover, with Rs 778 crore allocated in the state budget for its implementation.
The Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana is designed to mirror best practices from other large public programs in India, including the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, to facilitate claims processing, pre-authorization, and portability across a broad network of hospitals. By offering a higher sum insured, especially crucial for complex surgeries and ICU care, the scheme aims to reduce the risk of families depleting their savings or incurring high-cost loans for medical emergencies.
With the launch of this scheme, Punjab aims to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder access to quality medical treatment, setting a new benchmark in public healthcare. The enhanced health cover is expected to significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for families in the state, offering a multi-layered health-financing shield through a combination of public support and private family health insurance.
