ABHA card (Ayushman Bharat Health Account Card): A Complete Guide

The ABHA initiative is meant to encourage and help people create a digital record of their medical information for faster exchange when needed. The ABHA card is designed as a patient identifier in the healthcare ecosystem. It contains minimum demographic details but all the necessary medical information, such as treatment history, diagnostic reports, claims settlement, etc.In this blog, you will explore details of the ABHA card, including ABHA health card registration, the process for ABHA health card download, ABHA eligibility and benefits, among others.

• ABHA is a digital initiative of the government of India, part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, to revolutionise the healthcare ecosystem.
• ABHA ID is a unique 14-digit identifier that allows you to store and share your medical-related documents securely and easily with one click.
• Any Indian citizen is eligible to get an ABHA card.
• Using your ABHA ID, you can upload your medical documents, such as treatment records, discharge summaries, and lab reports to your account.
• You can easily link your existing health insurance policy with your ABHA ID and avail of faster cashless claim settlement.
• Your ABHA card can also be linked to your Digilocker account.

ABHA card refers to an Ayushman Bharat Health Account card. It is a unique, 14-digit health ID provided to beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The ABHA card aims to provide convenience and seamless experiences while availing various healthcare services in India.As Aadhaar offers unified identification for Indian citizens, ABHA provides a unified health interface where you can share your health and medication histories. Additionally, you can store health insurance records seamlessly and digitally. ABHA card eliminates the need to maintain physical paper records and the inconvenience caused by them, such as losing/tearing papers, and need to carry medical records everytime you visit you doctor. ,

The below table provides an overview of the scheme:

Your ABHA card contains the following details:

• Your photograph
• A unique 14-digit number identifier
• A self-declared username, that allows easy but authorised digital sharing of your medical records.

Your online ABHA profile carries the following details:

• Your name
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Address with district and state
• Aadhaar-linked mobile number/ e-mail ID
• Aadhaar card/ PAN car/ Driving licence number

Also Read: Health Insurance 101: Guide on the Basics of Health Insurance

Digitisation has revolutionised the way Indians interact with each other. Whether it is for payment or a doctor’s consultation, everything is now accessible online. ABHA card allows you to enjoy the various benefits of digitisation in the health sector. These benefits are:

Quality Control Assurance with a Unified Health Interface (UHI)

The unified health interface (UHI) is a technology-based initiative of the Indian government to bring its healthcare system up to par with the world's. Through ABHA, UHI ensures accessibility, affordability, and quality for all. The transparency of the ABHA card makes it easier to fill the healthcare gaps, making it patient-centric. ABHA ID also allows for digital registration for consultation, preventing you from long queues at the health centres.

Easy Management of Essential Health Records

Digital storage frees you from the hassle of storing physical documents. ABHA allows you to store all your health-related documents– hospital records, prescriptions, laboratory diagnostics, and health insurance claims details – in a secure, confidential, digital personal health locker.The ABHA card helps with personal health records (PHR) applications, the health facility registry (HFR), and the healthcare professional registry (HPR).

One-click Medical Record Sharing

Imagine you want a second opinion from a famous but distant doctor for your family member. Previously it would have meant you traveling to their location, carrying all the medical records, resulting in time and money wastage.With an ABHA card, all you need to do is share your card details with the concerned doctor, authorise them to view the records and get their medical opinion recorded using the same ID. This will save you from unnecessary troubles and allow you to discuss a third opinion with your current doctors for a better treatment plan.

Faster Cashless Claim Approval

Linking your ABHA ID with your insurance policy ensures faster cashless claim approval and settlement. Hospitals can easily access your policy details, ensuring seamless treatment. On the other hand, insurers can access your medical records and expenses in real time, expediting the claim settlement process.The primary goal of the ABHA card is to provide a better healthcare ecosystem. With increasing inflation, the cost of medical services is rising exponentially. A health insurance plan becomes necessary for those ineligible for any government (CGHS, etc.) or corporate group insurance plan. The health insurance plan facilitates access to quality medical treatments by covering sudden, large medical expenses.Looking for a suitable health insurance plan to secure yourself from any financial shock? Visit Aditya Birla Capital to explore the various plans offered by the company.

At Aditya Birla Capital, we believe in ‘Empowering people to lead healthier lives’. Aditya Birla Health Insurance (ABHI) is constantly striving to support the Government's initiative to build a robust healthcare ecosystem as our second nature.Along with our various health insurance plans, from basic to comprehensive, to suit every need, ABHI has received approval from the National Health Authority (NHA) to enable Indian citizens to create their ABHA IDs.

Aditya Birla Health Insurance at a Glance:

• 11000+ cashless hospitals network
• 4800+ locations covered
• 2.5 Cr+ lives insured
• 20.5 Lacs+ claims settled
• 96% claim settlement ratio (For FY23)

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Steps to Create ABHA ID with ABHI

Follow these key steps to create your ABHA ID with ABHI:

• Visit the Aditya Birla Health Insurance page on its website at https://www.adityabirlacapital.com/healthinsurance/abha/create-abha-id .
• Click ‘Create Your Health ID’ tab.
• Enter your Aadhaar card number.
• You will receive an OTP (one-time password) on your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
• Enter the OTP.
• Enter your 10-digit mobile number.
• Enter the OTP sent to your mobile for verification.
• Your ABHA account has been created. You can click ‘View ABHA Card’ and download your health ID card.

Steps to Create ABHA Card Online

You can follow these simple steps to apply for the ABHA ID:

• Visit the official website of ABHA and navigate to the register section
• Choose ‘Create ABHA Number’.
• Choose from ‘Create your ABHA number using Aadhaar’ or ‘Create your ABHA number using Driving Licence’.
• Enter your Aadhaar number/ licence number.
• Check the box for ‘I agree’ to agree to the terms and conditions.
• Click ‘next’.
• Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number and enter ‘Submit’.
• Your ABHA card will be created within a few seconds.
• You can now scan and upload your medical documents to your ABHA account.

Also Read: Benefits of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)

You can also create your ABHA ID using your Digilocker account using the following steps:

• Visit the official website of Digilocker
• Sign in to your account.
• In the menu, select ‘ABHA services’.
• Here, you can create a new ABHA account or access an already existing one.
• Enter your Aadhaar number to get an OTP for verification.
• Enter the OTP received on your linked mobile number.
• Your ABHA card will be created.

Eligibility for ABHA Card

ABHA is an initiative by the Government of India to provide faster, quality treatment by digitising medical records. Any Indian resident citizen can apply for an ABHA ID.

Documents Required to Create Abha ID

Online registration for ABHA cards can be easily done with a soft copy of the required documents. To generate your ABHA ID, you might need to provide the following documents:

• Aadhaar card/ PAN card/ Driving Licence
• Mobile number for verification
• Medical history disclosure
• Domicile certificate

Steps for Abha Card Download Online

ABHA card is a key part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. If you have already applied for an ABHA card, Ayushman card download process is easy by following these steps:

• Visit the official ABDM website
• Log in to your ABHA account with your ABHA number.
• Download ABHA card.
• You can also download ABHA card by using ABHA app, log in to your account, and go for a health ID card download process.

Steps for Ayushman Bharat Card Download with Digilocker

You can carry out Ayushman Bharat card download process through your Digilocker by following these simple steps:

• Visit the official Digiloacker website
• Sign in to your account using your mobile number/ username/ Aadhaar.
• In the search documents, type "National Health ID Card".
• In the search results, click "National Health ID Card - Ayushman Bharat".
• Enter your ABHA address or number.
• Provide your consent for details sharing and click ‘Continue’.
• Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number.
• Download your ABHA card.

If you want to deactivate your ABHA ID, you can easily do so by following these steps:

• Log in to the official website of ABHA
• Generate an OTP using your Aadhaar number, mobile number, or driving license.
• Under 'My Account', click 'Deactivate/Delete Health ID'.
• Select 'Continue' to successfully deactivate your ID.

Mandatory Linking of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) to ABHA

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has mandated that linking CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) beneficiary IDs with ABHA IDs is necessary under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, effective September 30, 2024.Linking CGHS beneficiary IDs with ABHA numbers will allow central government employees and their doctors to access their health records on their mobile phones or online, thus saving money on repeat tests.Moreover, as a CGHS beneficiary you will be able to transfer your health records from one hospital or healthcare provider to another. In the future, you will also be able to make an OPD appointment with a doctor by scanning a QR code on your mobile device in front of the doctor’s room/registration desk. This will relieve you of long queues and waiting times.

Steps to Link Your CGHS Number with ABHA ID

Follow these key steps to link your CGHS number with ABHA ID:

• Visit the official website of CGHS
• Click ‘Beneficiaries’.
• Log into your account by entering your beneficiary ID, password, and captcha.
• Go to ‘Update’ > ‘Create/Link ABHA ID’.
• You can choose from ‘I don’t have ABHA number’ if you don’t have an ABHA ID or ‘Link Using ABHA Number’ if you have an ABHA ID.
• Enter your Aadhaar number and verify with an OTP received on your registered mobile number.
• After verification, your CGHS account will be linked to your ABHA ID.
• You can download ABHA card.

At present, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is in its early stages. However, people are embracing its benefits in transforming the healthcare sector. Within three years of launch, 50 crore individuals have ABHA numbers as their unique health IDs, 1.5 crore patients have used ABHA-based instant OPD registration service, and 50 Lakh people have downloaded the ABHA app to manage their personal health records digitally.On the supply side, ABDM essentially brings all stakeholders in the health sector together on one digital platform. Like ABHA patient numbers, healthcare service providers are also being verified and registered. ABDM’s HPR (healthcare pofssional registry) has 2.6 Lakh verified doctors and nurses, while the HFR has 2.26 Lakh registered hospitals, clinics, labs, pharmacies, etc. Over 56,000 hospitals across the country already use ABDM-enabled solutions.To further enhance its reach and encourage the active adoption of the ABHA card by smaller health facilities in the private sector, NHA (National Health Authority) has announced 100 microsites project in July 2023.With so many revolutions, you can expect the ABDM to witness the following activities in the near future:

Enabling Patient Empowerment and Engagement

With all information available at your fingertips, you can actively participate in health-related decision-making. Further, ABDM promotes patient engagement through education, awareness, tools for self-management, and personalised health recommendations.

Data-centric Treatment and Real-time Data

With all your medical history uploaded to a unified app, ABHA ID enables a data-driven approach towards healthcare research. Researchers can analyse patient data to find disease trends, extrapolate treatment methodologies, assess their outcomes, and bring evidence-based healthcare interventions.

Ease of availing Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring

With digitised records, availing telemedicine and remote monitoring will become easy. You can consult healthcare professionals virtually, saving both time and money.

Coordinated Healthcare

With all your medical history uploaded to a unified app, healthcare providers can access comprehensive patient information, enabling smooth coordination across different specialities and second opinions. Such a holistic approach to treatment will ensure better patient outcomes.

Adopting Preventive Healthcare

The ease of access to medical records, diagnostic reports, etc., at ABHA, will encourage you to take proactive healthcare measures. With ABHA, it will be easy to track health metrics, correct them if needed, and reach out for preventive measures. This will result in the identification and treatment of acute diseases and, thus, improved overall health.

Ease of Financial Management

High healthcare costs often cause distress in Indian middle-class and below-the-poverty line families. By integrating health data, diagnostic reports, insurance policies, payment options, possible subsidies for the poor, and an easier claim settlement process, the ABHA card facilitates financial management for both patients and healthcare providers. A unified platform reduces administrative costs, minimises billing errors, and ensures transparency within the healthcare ecosystem.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, under the National Health Authority (NHA), is empowering Indian citizens by revolutionising the accessibility of the healthcare ecosystem. You can easily store your medical records digitally with an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) card. The benefits of the ABHA card include seamless access to medical treatments and healthcare facilities, easy registration for personal health checkups, expedited claim settlement, etc.Although ABHA is voluntary, you should explore its benefits and link it to your health insurance plan to avoid stress in a medical emergency. Worried about choosing the right insurance plan for you and your family? Visit Aditya Birla Capital to explore curated health insurance plans that suit your specific requirements.