If you or your family are receiving the guaranteed benefits of free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, then this is the biggest news of 2026 and is extremely important for you. The central government has made a historic change to the Ayushman Card rules, making Aadhaar-based e-KYC completely mandatory.

This means that if your card is not linked to Aadhaar or your information is incomplete in the system, you may face significant difficulties in receiving free treatment when hospitalized. The government has taken this decisive step to curb the circulation of fraudulent cards by those who were taking advantage of the scheme despite not being eligible.

Now, the government’s crackdown on fake cards

Ayushman Card Treatment Limit
Ayushman Card Treatment Limit

The National Health Authority (NHA) has changed the old card issuance system to make it even more stringent and transparent. To this end, a new and robust system called BIS 2.0 (Beneficiary Identification System) has been implemented across the country.

The most significant feature of this new system is that each beneficiary is identified directly through the Aadhaar database, making it virtually impossible for a false card to be issued. The government’s primary goal is to ensure that every card in the system is fully verified so that public funds are spent only on the treatment of genuine beneficiaries and those in need.

AI technology is detecting fraudulent and suspicious cards.

To keep the system clean, the government has now begun implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare services. With the help of AI technology, thousands of suspicious Ayushman cards have been identified, which were issued in violation of regulations.

These suspicious cards are now being physically verified on the ground, and cards found to be fraudulent are being immediately blocked. This AI-enabled network is also keeping an eye on hospitals and intermediaries who attempt to commit fraudulent billing or submit incorrect data under the scheme.

New Name Addition and KYC Requirements

Ayushman Card
Ayushman Card

With the implementation of the new rules, adding a new family member to the Ayushman card is no longer as easy as before. It will now be extremely difficult to add a new name to the card without strong legal documents and a rigorous Aadhaar authentication process.

The government has clarified that existing cardholders who have not completed their e-KYC process will neither be issued a new card nor receive a guaranteed treatment guarantee on their old card. Therefore, it is crucial to check your card status promptly to ensure that free medical treatment is not disrupted in an emergency.