The government on January 8 rolled out broad guidelines to improve the supply of healthcare services in the underserved areas to ensure maximum utilisation of benefits under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) and to improve demand for quality healthcare services at affordable prices to general public.

According to the Health and Welfare Ministry, it has formulated three hospital models -- Doctor Owner (30 to 50 beds), Doctor Manager Partnership-Multispecialty (100 beds), and Multispecialty (100 beds or more) to be followed under the health scheme.

The private sector has been regularised to build, design, finance, manage operate and maintain with quality standards, take market risk and provide services at PMJAY rates. The government authorities will provide unencumbered land on lease or through bidding, facilitate various permissions and clearances through special window with timelines, compulsory empanelment of the hospitals for PMJAY.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) was launched on September 23, last year with an aim to provide hospitalisation cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to over 10 crore poor and the deprived families (about 50 crore people) in the empanelled hospitals throughout the country. As per the Health Ministry, 33 states/UTs have signed MoU for implementing PMJAY out of which 29 have already launched the scheme.