Financial Protection against Health Shocks: A Study of Ayushman Bharat Beneficiaries in Rural Moradabad Division

Health shocks are still a major cause of financial problems for rural families in India, often leading to huge medical bills and debt. The Government of India launched Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to offer financial safeguarding via cashless health insurance to economically disadvantaged groups. This study investigates the degree to which Ayushman Bharat has enhanced financial protection against health shocks among beneficiaries in the rural regions of Moradabad Division.The research relies on primary data obtained from chosen rural beneficiaries via a standardized questionnaire. It looks at how easy it is to get medical treatment, how many people use PM-JAY benefits, how much less money people have to spend out of pocket, and how safe beneficiaries feel financially during medical emergencies. We employ descriptive statistics and percentage-based analysis to make sense of the data. The results show that Ayushman Bharat has greatly enhanced access to institutional healthcare and made it easier for most beneficiaries to pay for hospitalization right away. However, the scheme's effectiveness is still hampered by problems like lack of knowledge, a small number of empanelled hospitals, and only partial reimbursement of medical costs. The study shows that rural families need better awareness campaigns, stronger rural healthcare facilities, and better ways to put these ideas into action to better protect themselves from financial risk