National Health Authority (NHA)


The apex body responsible for implementing India's flagship public health insurance scheme and driving digital health transformation across the nation.


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About National Health Authority

What is NHA?

The National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing India's flagship public health insurance/assurance scheme called "Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana" (AB PM-JAY).


NHA is an attached office of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with full functional autonomy. It governs the implementation of AB PM-JAY and the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) in India.

Vision & Mission

Vision: To ensure accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all citizens of India, especially the poor and vulnerable.


Mission: To implement AB PM-JAY and NDHM with efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity, leveraging technology to create a sustainable and integrated healthcare ecosystem.


  • Universal health coverage for all citizens
  • Digital health transformation
  • Healthcare accessibility and affordability
  • Quality healthcare service delivery
Historical Background

The National Health Authority was constituted in 2019 as a successor to the National Health Agency which was set up in 2018 to implement PM-JAY. The transformation to NHA provided greater autonomy and flexibility in implementing the world's largest health assurance scheme.


NHA works closely with State Health Agencies (SHAs) to ensure seamless implementation of healthcare initiatives across all states and union territories.

500M+ Beneficiaries Covered

AB PM-JAY provides health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 100 million poor and vulnerable families.


  • Largest health assurance scheme globally
  • Covers approximately 40% of India's population
  • Cashless treatment across network hospitals
Organizational Structure

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  • Governing Board chaired by Union Health Minister
  • CEO-led executive management
  • Specialized verticals for operations, technology, finance
  • State-level implementation through SHAs

Functions of National Health Authority

Policy Implementation

NHA is responsible for implementing and managing the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) across India.


  • Develop operational guidelines for AB PM-JAY
  • Coordinate with State Health Agencies
  • Monitor scheme implementation
  • Ensure compliance with policy objectives
Digital Health Transformation

NHA drives the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to create an integrated digital health ecosystem in India.


  • Develop digital health infrastructure
  • Implement health technology standards
  • Promote health data interoperability
  • Ensure data privacy and security
Stakeholder Coordination

NHA coordinates with various stakeholders including state governments, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and technology partners.


  • Collaborate with State Health Agencies
  • Engage with public and private hospitals
  • Partner with insurance providers
  • Work with technology solution providers
25K+ Hospital Empanelment

NHA manages the empanelment of hospitals across India to create a robust network of healthcare providers for AB PM-JAY beneficiaries.


  • Set hospital empanelment criteria
  • Quality assurance and monitoring
  • Grievance redressal mechanism
  • Performance evaluation of hospitals
Financial Management

NHA oversees the financial aspects of AB PM-JAY including fund allocation, claims processing, and fraud prevention.


  • Manage health assurance fund
  • Process insurance claims
  • Prevent fraud and abuse
  • Ensure financial sustainability

Key Initiatives by NHA

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY

World's largest health assurance scheme providing coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.


  • Cashless treatment at empaneled hospitals
  • No restrictions on family size, age, or gender
  • Coverage for pre-existing conditions from day one
  • Portability of benefits across India
National Digital Health Mission

Comprehensive digital health ecosystem creating a seamless online platform for healthcare services through digital health IDs.


  • Unique Health ID for every citizen
  • Digital health records management
  • Healthcare professionals registry
  • Health facilities registry
ABHA Health App

Mobile application that allows citizens to create and manage their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) for digital health records.


  • Create and manage health records
  • Access health services digitally
  • Share health records with consent
  • Find healthcare providers
100M+ ABHA IDs Created

The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) initiative has seen massive adoption with millions of citizens creating their digital health IDs.


  • Rapid adoption across all states
  • Integration with healthcare providers
  • Secure health data management
  • Consent-based data sharing
Telemedicine Services

NHA promotes telemedicine services to improve healthcare access, especially in remote and underserved areas.


  • Digital consultation platforms
  • Remote patient monitoring
  • E-prescription services
  • Health education and awareness

Governance Structure

Governing Board

The NHA Governing Board is the apex decision-making body chaired by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare.


  • Chairperson: Union Health Minister
  • Vice-Chairperson: Minister of State for Health
  • CEO, NHA (Member Secretary)
  • Representatives from relevant ministries
  • Health experts and professionals
Executive Committee

The Executive Committee oversees the day-to-day functioning and implementation of NHA’s initiatives and programs.


  • Headed by CEO, NHA
  • Comprises senior officials from NHA
  • Representatives from State Health Agencies
  • Technical experts and advisors
Organizational Divisions

NHA is organized into specialized divisions and verticals to efficiently manage different aspects of healthcare implementation.


  • Operations and Implementation
  • Technology and Digital Health
  • Finance and Claims Management
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Capacity Building and Training
36 State Health Agencies

NHA works through State Health Agencies (SHAs) in all states and union territories for ground-level implementation of healthcare schemes.


  • Decentralized implementation
  • State-specific customization
  • Local context consideration
  • Coordinated national approach
Advisory Committees

NHA has constituted various advisory committees comprising domain experts to provide technical guidance and recommendations.


  • Medical Advisory Committee
  • Technology Advisory Group
  • Health Economics Cell
  • Stakeholder Consultation Forum

Key Achievements

Massive Healthcare Coverage

NHA has successfully implemented the world's largest health assurance scheme, providing coverage to over 500 million beneficiaries.


  • Largest health protection scheme globally
  • Comprehensive coverage for hospitalization
  • Financial protection for vulnerable families
  • Reduced out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure
Digital Health Transformation

NHA has pioneered India’s digital health transformation through the National Digital Health Mission.


  • 100+ million ABHA IDs created
  • Unified digital health infrastructure
  • Interoperable health records system
  • Secure health data exchange framework
Healthcare Access Expansion

NHA has significantly expanded healthcare access through hospital empanelment and service delivery improvements.


  • 25,000+ empaneled hospitals
  • Healthcare access in remote areas
  • Reduced healthcare disparities
  • Improved healthcare utilization rates
20M+ Hospital Admissions

AB PM-JAY has facilitated over 20 million hospital admissions, providing cashless treatment to beneficiaries across India.


  • Life-saving treatments provided
  • Financial catastrophe averted for families
  • Improved health outcomes
  • Enhanced patient satisfaction
International Recognition

NHA’s initiatives have received international recognition and awards for innovation in healthcare delivery.


  • UN Award for Digital Health Innovation
  • World Bank recognition for scale and impact
  • WHO appreciation for universal health coverage efforts
  • Global healthcare best practices

Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PMJAY) FAQs

What is the National Health Authority (NHA)?

The National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing India's flagship public health insurance/assurance scheme called "Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana" (AB PM-JAY). It is an attached office of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with full functional autonomy. NHA also governs the implementation of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) in India, working to create a sustainable and integrated healthcare ecosystem.

What are the main functions of NHA?

The National Health Authority has several key functions including implementing and managing AB PM-JAY, driving digital health transformation through NDHM, coordinating with State Health Agencies, empaneling hospitals, managing financial aspects of the scheme, building healthcare capacity, monitoring and evaluation, and promoting research and development in healthcare delivery models. NHA works to ensure accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all citizens, especially the poor and vulnerable populations.

How is NHA different from the Ministry of Health?

While the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the central government ministry responsible for overall health policy, regulation, and administration in India, the National Health Authority is a specialized implementation agency attached to the ministry. NHA has full functional autonomy specifically for implementing AB PM-JAY and NDHM. The Ministry sets broad health policies and guidelines, while NHA focuses on operationalizing specific healthcare assurance and digital health initiatives with dedicated expertise and resources.

What is the governance structure of NHA?

NHA operates under a well-defined governance structure with a Governing Board chaired by the Union Health Minister as the apex decision-making body. The Executive Committee headed by the CEO oversees day-to-day operations. NHA is organized into specialized divisions for operations, technology, finance, monitoring, and capacity building. It works through State Health Agencies in all states and union territories for ground-level implementation and has various advisory committees comprising domain experts for technical guidance.

What are the key achievements of NHA?

NHA's key achievements include implementing the world's largest health assurance scheme covering over 500 million beneficiaries, pioneering India's digital health transformation through NDHM with 100+ million ABHA IDs created, expanding healthcare access through 25,000+ empaneled hospitals, facilitating over 20 million hospital admissions, providing financial protection to vulnerable families, driving healthcare quality improvements, and receiving international recognition for innovation in healthcare delivery. These achievements represent significant progress toward universal health coverage in India.

How does NHA ensure transparency and accountability?

NHA has established robust transparency mechanisms including public disclosure of scheme data, real-time monitoring dashboards, social audit provisions, and whistleblower protection. The accountability framework includes performance-based evaluation, regular reporting to the governing board, external audits, and comprehensive grievance redressal systems. NHA maintains active stakeholder engagement through regular consultations with states, healthcare providers, civil society organizations, and international partners to ensure inclusive decision-making and implementation.

DOCTOR'S MOST TRUSTED HEALTHCARE PLATFORM

10M+

Patients

30000+

Doctors

25000+

Hospitals/Labs

Hospitals

Disease

Surgery

Treatment

Emergency