- Over half of the beneficiaries (53%) of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in five southern states used the scheme to access private healthcare facilities. - This highlights the significant role of private sector participation in bridging critical gaps in public health delivery under India's flagship health insurance scheme. - Regional variations exist in how beneficiaries utilize public versus private hospitals for secondary and tertiary care under the scheme. - The trend underscores the reliance of vulnerable sections on private empanelled hospitals under AB-PMJAY due to potential gaps in public infrastructure or preferred service quality. - **Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY):** World's largest government-funded health assurance scheme providing ₹5 lakh annually per eligible family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. - **National Health Authority (NHA):** The apex body responsible for implementing, designing, and managing the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme in India. **Introduction** An analysis of data regarding the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) across five southern states reveals that more than 50% of the beneficiaries utilized the scheme to access healthcare services in private hospitals. This reflects the crucial reliance on private sector empanelment to achieve universal health coverage goals, while simultaneously emphasizing debates around public-private mix in healthcare delivery. **Core Issue and Detailed Points** - Over half of the beneficiaries (53%) of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in five southern states used the scheme to access private healthcare facilities. - This highlights the significant role of private sector participation in bridging critical gaps in public health delivery under India's flagship health insurance scheme. - Regional variations exist in how beneficiaries utilize public versus private hospitals for secondary and tertiary care under the scheme. - The trend underscores the reliance of vulnerable sections on private empanelled hospitals under AB-PMJAY due to potential gaps in public infrastructure or preferred service quality. **Key Statutory Bodies, Acts & Concepts** - **Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY):** World's largest government-funded health assurance scheme providing ₹5 lakh annually per eligible family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. - **National Health Authority (NHA):** The apex body responsible for implementing, designing, and managing the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme in India.