The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) has mandated linking CGHS beneficiary IDs with Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs. This initiative aims to integrate CGHS beneficiaries into India’s digital health ecosystem.
This linking of CGHS and ABHA IDs is mandatory from April 1, 2024. Therefore, existing CGHS beneficiaries have 30 days to complete the linking process. In other words, the deadline for completion of this linking is April 27, 2024.
Benefits of Linking IDs
- CGHS beneficiaries can access their digital health records through a chosen Personal Health Record (PHR) app.
- Secure transfer of health records between different healthcare providers becomes possible.
- This allows doctors to access a patient’s complete medical history.
- Future potential includes booking OPD appointments through QR code scans.
The CGHS has also issued FAQs on ABHA. The FAQs explain the following:
What is ABHA?
The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is a national program assigning a unique 14-digit health ID to each individual. This ID serves as a key to access and share digital health records across healthcare providers.
How to Enroll for ABHA?
Any Indian citizen can enroll for ABHA to obtain a Health ID. The process can be completed online or at designated enrollment centers.
The FAQs also provide steps to Create/Link ABHA number with the CGHS beneficiary ID.
This integration is a significant step towards digitizing India’s healthcare system.
