The National Health Authority (NHA), the implementing agency of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The renewed partnership aims to deepen collaboration in promoting evidence-based decision-making for optimizing healthcare delivery and resource allocation under India’s flagship health programs.
The MoU was formally signed by Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO, NHA, and Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, DHR and Director General, ICMR, in the presence of senior officials including Jyoti Yadav, Joint Secretary (AB-PMJAY), and Dr. Pankaj Arora, Director (NHA).
Originally established in November 2019, the collaboration between NHA and DHR/ICMR has effectively utilized Health Technology Assessment (HTA) methodologies to support the optimization of Health Benefit Packages (HBPs) under AB-PMJAY. The renewed MoU reaffirms the shared commitment to evaluating the clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and equity impact of medical technologies, procedures, and devices covered under the scheme.
Expanding its scope beyond AB-PMJAY, the partnership will now also encompass the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Through the Health Technology Assessment India (HTAIn) initiative, DHR and ICMR will provide analytical insights to evaluate digital health interventions—including electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine platforms, and AI-based diagnostic tools—to ensure they are affordable, efficient, and sustainable within the ABDM framework.
Key areas of collaboration under the renewed MoU include:
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Costing of Healthcare Services: Leveraging data from the National Costing Initiative to rationalize reimbursement rates for procedures in both public and private healthcare settings under PM-JAY.
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Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs): Implementing STWs developed by DHR/ICMR expert committees to promote standardized disease management, reduce unnecessary treatments, and improve service quality.
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Operational Research: Conducting targeted studies to address implementation challenges in AB-PMJAY, enhance patient safety, and strengthen overall healthcare delivery.
The renewed agreement underscores the collective commitment of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NHA, and ICMR toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by ensuring equitable access to safe, high-quality, and affordable healthcare for all beneficiaries.
