In two years, 67% of the total patients having undergone spine surgeries at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) were benefited by Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna, covering treatment upto ₹5 lakh per year per family, a study conducted by orthopaedics department has revealed.
From January 2023 to December 2024, 410 patients underwent spine surgeries in PGI and out of these 276 received financial aid under the central government scheme.
The study, titled “impact of Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) on access to spine surgery at a tertiary care centre in north India: a retrospective analysis” has been conducted by Dr Vishal Kumar, professor in department of orthopedic surgery along with Dr Sarvdeep Singh Dhatt. The team noted that spine surgery is among the most financially demanding areas of modern healthcare, making it a critical test case for the effectiveness of public health insurance.
PM-JAY utilisation increased from 58.7% in 2023 to 73.5% in 2024 with a decline in self-paid procedures from 37.8 to 18.9%.
Degenerative spinal disorders accounted for the largest proportion of cases (46.1%), followed by traumatic spinal injuries (33.4%), with surgeries spanning a wide spectrum—from decompression and stabilisation to complex instrumented fusion procedures. The utilisation of PM-JAY extended across trauma, deformity, tumour, infections, and revision spine surgeries, reflecting growing institutional confidence in delivering advanced spine care within fixed reimbursement frameworks.
Detailing further, Dr Vishal Kumar stated, “Spine surgery involves expensive implants, advanced imaging, and prolonged hospital care, which traditionally placed it beyond the reach of many patients. Our analysis shows that PM-JAY has significantly improved access across a broad range of spinal pathologies, while also reducing out-of-pocket expenditure.”
PGIMER director Prof Vivek Lal said, “This study clearly demonstrates how Ayushman Bharat is reshaping access to advanced surgical care by removing financial barriers that once excluded large sections of society.”