What Is a Digital Health Card?
In India, a digital health card is called an ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account). It’s a free, 14-digit health ID that keeps your medical records connected in one place. It is issued by the Government of India and lets you share prescriptions and lab reports with a doctor only when you choose to.
Digital Health Card vs Ayushman Card: Are They the Same?
No, a digital health card stores your health records, while an Ayushman card under PM-JAY helps cover hospital treatment. People often confuse the two because both use the Ayushman Bharat name and are issued through the National Health Authority. But they are separate schemes with different purposes.
Having a digital health card does not automatically make you eligible for an Ayushman card. PM-JAY provides coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family each year. Eligibility is mainly based on the SECC 2011 list. People aged 70 and above may also qualify for an Ayushman Vay Vandana card. An e-card issued by your health insurance company is a separate, third type of card.
| Point | Digital health card (ABHA) | Ayushman card (PM-JAY) | Insurer e-card |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Links and shares your health records | Pays for hospital treatment | Proves you hold a health policy |
| Who can get it | Any person in India | SECC 2011 families and people aged 70+ | People who buy a policy |
| Cost | Free | Free for eligible families | Comes with your policy |
| Money for treatment | None | Up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year | As per your policy |
| Issued by | National Health Authority | National Health Authority | Your insurance company |
Benefits of a Digital Health Card
A digital health card links all your health records to one ID. You no longer need to carry paper files from one doctor to another. These benefits are available at hospitals and clinics in the network.
- One record for life. Prescriptions, lab reports, and vaccination certificates are all linked to the same ID.
- Shorter queues. At many hospital desks, you can scan a QR code using Scan and Share to get an OPD token without filling out a registration form.
- You control access. A doctor can view your records only after you approve it, and you can withdraw that approval at any time.
- Use it at government and private hospitals. Private hospitals can also use the card if they are part of the network and choose to participate.
- No fee. Creating and using the card is free.
Your records remain with the hospital or lab that created them.
Who Can Get a Digital Health Card?
Anyone in India can apply for a digital health card, and getting one is completely voluntary. You do not need to have a job, health insurance, or a low income to apply. By May 2026, more than 90 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHAs) had been created across the country. Keep the following ready when you apply:
Aadhaar number
and the mobile number to recieve OTP
Your driving licence
f you prefer not to use Aadhaar
A mobile number
that can receive messages
How to Apply for a Digital Health Card Online
You can create your digital health card online in minutes by visiting the official ABHA website, Aarogya Setu 2.0 app or simply using the ACKO app. The process is identical for all the options.
Enter your details
Share your details to start secure verification.
Create your ABHA address
Choose a simple username, such as priya@abdm, that you can use to log in later.
Download your card
Your 14-digit ID will be generated immediately, and you can save the card straight away.
How to Download Your Digital Health Card
You can download your digital health card any time after it is created, from the ABHA website or the app. You only need the mobile number linked to your card.
Step 1
Open the ABHA website or ACKO app and choose the option for an existing ABHA.
Step 2
Enter your linked mobile number and enter the OTP received.
Step 3
Pick your health card from the list and tap download to save it as a PDF on your device.
Where Can You Use Your Digital Health Card?
You can use your digital health card at any public or private hospital connected to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
- Government hospitals, primary health centres, and community health centres-
- Private hospitals and clinics registered with the network-
- Diagnostic labs and imaging centres-
- Registered pharmacies-
- Doctors practising modern medicine, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and homoeopathy
Private hospitals can decide whether or not to use ABHA. If a hospital doesn’t use it, they’ll give you their own patient number instead. At hospitals that do use ABHA, you can show your card or scan the QR code at the front desk, allowing the staff to access your details.
Why Get Your Digital Health Card with ACKO?
Your official ABHA health card, made in about a minute through an authorised NHA partner.
Government-issued, fully secured
Get your official ABHA health ID, created through an authorised NHA partner
Free. No catch.
You don't pay anything to make the card, download it or use it at a hospital.
All your reports, one card
Link your prescriptions, lab reports and hospital visits to a single ID, and share them when you choose.
Digital Health Card and Health Insurance: How Your E-Card Works
A digital health card isn’t health insurance, so it won’t pay your hospital bills on its own. It doesn’t provide a cash benefit or free treatment.
To use your health insurance, show your insurer's e-card at the hospital. It includes the member’s name, age, policy number and policy validity, and can be used for both cashless and reimbursement claims. If you have an ACKO health policy, you can access the card through the ACKO app:
- Open your health insurance policy in the app.
- Tap Policy Cards under Your Policy.
- Select the member and tap Download.
You can see both cards in a single app. Aarogya Setu 2.0 also has an insurance wallet that shows your coverage through PM-JAY, CAPF, CGHS, and private health insurance plans, as well as details of earlier claims and their current status.
Is Your Digital Health Card Data Safe?
Yes. Your data on a digital health card is completely safe and shared only when you give permission. You can also withdraw that permission later.
- Your records remain with the hospital or lab where they were created. The card only provides a link to them.
- You can also deactivate your ABHA and reactivate it later if you change your mind.
- You’ll receive an SMS when a card is created. Some families have received alerts for cards they never applied for.
If you receive a message about a card you didn’t request, log in with your mobile number to check it. From there, you can deactivate the card or keep it if you want to use it.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Health ID was the old name for ABHA. A health ID card, ABHA card and digital health card all refer to the same 14-digit number, so you only need one.
Yes. You can use your driving licence instead of Aadhaar. You can also begin with just your mobile number. However, each person should have only one ABHA so that all their records remain together.
No. ABHA is voluntary. If you choose not to use it, or if a hospital does not use it, the hospital will give you its own patient number instead.
No, an HFR ID is for hospitals and clinics, not patients. HFR stands for Health Facility Registry, where healthcare facilities register to join the network. As a patient, you only need your 14-digit ABHA number.
Yes, you can print your digital health card on a card or on paper. The hospital only needs the number or QR code, so a plastic PVC card isn’t necessary.
