NHA, ICMR Renew MoU to Boost Evidence-Based Reforms in Ayushman Bharat

“This MoU symbolizes a deepening of our commitment to align healthcare policy with scientific evidence and ensure that every rupee spent translates into value for patients,” said Dr. Barnwal.

In a critical move to enhance the scientific rigour and data-driven impact of India’s flagship healthcare schemes, the National Health Authority (NHA) has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This strategic partnership aims to bolster evidence-based decision-making across the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

The renewed MoU was formally signed between Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO of NHA, and Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, DHR and Director General of ICMR. The event was witnessed by key officials including Ms. Jyoti Yadav, Joint Secretary (AB-PMJAY), and Dr. Pankaj Arora, Director (NHA), along with representatives from the Indian Red Cross Society.

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A Continuation of a Proven Partnership

The renewed agreement builds upon the successful partnership first established in November 2019, which focused on applying Health Technology Assessment (HTA) frameworks to rationalize Health Benefit Packages (HBPs) under the AB-PMJAY. These HTA frameworks provided NHA with critical inputs to improve cost-effectiveness, clinical outcomes, and equity in care delivery.

With this renewal, the collaboration will be broadened in scope and scale, encompassing emerging healthcare challenges, technologies, and digital transformation efforts under the Ayushman Bharat umbrella.

“This MoU symbolizes a deepening of our commitment to align healthcare policy with scientific evidence and ensure that every rupee spent translates into value for patients,” said Dr. Barnwal.

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Supporting Digital Health Transformation Under ABDM

For the first time, the MoU’s scope will also include supporting the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)—India’s ambitious initiative to digitize the healthcare ecosystem. Under this expansion, DHR and ICMR will assist NHA in evaluating the clinical and economic implications of digital health interventions, including:

• Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

• Telemedicine and teleconsultation platforms

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostic tools

• Health IT platforms and health data exchanges

These evaluations will be conducted through HTAIn (Health Technology Assessment India), a dedicated initiative of DHR and ICMR that promotes transparent and evidence-informed health policy decisions.

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Key Focus Areas of the Renewed MoU

The new agreement identifies three critical areas of collaboration, each vital to the long-term sustainability and equity of Ayushman Bharat schemes:

1. Costing of Healthcare Services

• Utilizing real-world cost data from the National Costing Initiative to update and rationalize reimbursement rates.

• This will address long-standing concerns about underpayment to providers and ensure fair pricing across public and private hospitals under PM-JAY.

2. Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs)

• Institutionalizing clinical pathway guidelines developed by DHR and ICMR’s expert committees.

• STWs will help reduce variation in medical practice, curb unnecessary procedures, and elevate quality of care for beneficiaries.

3. Operational and Implementation Research

• Conducting targeted research studies to identify barriers to scheme implementation, especially in rural and remote regions.

• Focus areas include beneficiary satisfaction, patient safety, fraud prevention, and supply chain bottlenecks in empaneled hospitals.

“This partnership reflects the Government’s commitment to a health system that is not only universal in coverage but also rational, efficient, and patient-centric,” noted Dr. Rajiv Bahl.

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Reinforcing India’s Path to Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

AB-PMJAY, the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance scheme, currently covers over 55 crore beneficiaries from vulnerable families, providing up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization. The ABDM, meanwhile, seeks to create a citizen-centric digital health ecosystem by issuing unique health IDs, digitizing medical records, and enabling interoperability among providers and insurers.

This renewed MoU ensures that policy innovation is guided by real-time evidence, ensuring better resource utilization and higher returns on public health investments.

The partnership also plays a pivotal role in India's broader strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which calls for universal access to quality essential healthcare services by 2030.

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A Model for Cross-Institutional Collaboration

Experts have hailed the NHA–ICMR–DHR collaboration as a model of cross-institutional synergy, where health financing, scientific research, and digital innovation converge to address systemic challenges in healthcare delivery.

• The evidence base will guide future decisions around inclusion or exclusion of medical procedures from the PM-JAY benefit package.

• Public investments in digital health tools will be subjected to performance and cost-effectiveness evaluation, ensuring long-term sustainability.

• The partnership also reinforces the value-based care paradigm, shifting away from volume-based services.

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Looking Ahead

With this renewed partnership, India is taking yet another crucial step toward creating a resilient, inclusive, and scientifically grounded healthcare system. The collaboration reaffirms the government's vision to ensure that every Indian, regardless of socio-economic background, can access affordable, safe, and high-quality healthcare services.

The MoU reflects the shared commitment of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Health Authority, and Indian Council of Medical Research to build a healthcare future based on trust, technology, and transparency.