ABHA Full Form: Health ID, ABHA Address, Create, vs Ayushman Card
Independent guide. We are not part of the National Health Authority or any hospital, and we never ask for your ABHA number, Aadhaar or OTP.
ABHA stands for Ayushman Bharat Health Account, a free 14-digit health ID issued under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. It lets hospitals and labs link your digital health records to you, and lets you see them in an app and share them with a doctor only when you consent. ABHA is not insurance and gives no free treatment.
- Full form
- Ayushman Bharat Health Account (earlier called Health ID)
- Run by
- National Health Authority (NHA) under ABDM
- ABHA number
- Random 14 digits, shown as xx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
- ABHA address
- A username you choose, like name@abdm
- Cost
- Free
- Mandatory?
- No. You can't be refused treatment for not having one.
- Created with
- Aadhaar (OTP or face authentication) or driving licence
- In use
- Over 93 crore ABHAs, 104 crore records linked (6 Jul 2026)
- Helpline
- 1800-11-4477 / 14477 (24×7)
What is ABHA?
ABHA is your identity in India's digital health system. When a hospital, clinic or lab connected to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) creates a prescription, lab report or discharge summary, it can link that record to your ABHA with your consent. Over time you build one health history across many providers, which you can open in a personal health record (PHR) app such as the ABHA app or Aarogya Setu.
- It is voluntary and free. No one has to create an ABHA, and there is no fee for it or for ABDM-enabled PHR apps.
- Your records are not stored centrally. They stay with the hospital or lab that made them. ABDM only passes them on, securely, after you consent.
- It is not insurance. Having an ABHA does not make you eligible for AB PM-JAY or any scheme, and treatment costs are set by the hospital or scheme. See ABHA vs Ayushman card.
- It works in private hospitals too, if they choose to join ABDM.
ABHA number vs ABHA address
You get two identifiers. The number identifies you; the address is the handle you use day to day, much like a bank account number and a UPI ID.
| ABHA number | ABHA address | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A random 14-digit number, e.g. 00-1234-5678-9000 (sample) | A username you choose, e.g. sample.name@abdm |
| Who picks it | Generated by the system | You, 8 to 18 characters; one dot and/or one underscore allowed |
| How you get it | Verified with Aadhaar or driving licence | In a PHR app, with your ABHA number or just a mobile number |
| How many | One per person | As many as you like, all linkable to one ABHA number |
| Used for | Unique, verified identity across providers | Logging in to PHR apps, receiving and sharing records |
You can log in to the ABHA app with your ABHA number, ABHA address and password, mobile number, or email. To link an address to your number, enter the number in the app and confirm with an OTP.
Create ABHA or use it at a hospital
Use only the official portal abha.abdm.gov.in, the ABHA app or Aarogya Setu. There are two ways to get an ABHA number:
| Method | You need | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aadhaar | Aadhaar number and the mobile linked to it (for OTP), or face authentication in the ABHA app | ABHA number at once |
| Driving licence | Licence number, photos of its front and back, name, date of birth, gender | Only an enrolment number online. Take the licence and enrolment number to the nearest ABDM participating facility; staff verify you and issue the ABHA number. |
- Open abha.abdm.gov.in and choose Create ABHA Number → Aadhaar.
- Enter your Aadhaar number, accept the consent and verify the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
- Confirm the mobile number for ABHA messages.
- Choose your ABHA address.
- Download the ABHA card.
Mobile not linked to Aadhaar? Link it at an Aadhaar centre (see our Aadhaar guide), or visit the nearest ABDM participating facility for fingerprint (biometric) authentication. Family: one mobile number can be used to create ABHA numbers for up to 6 members. Forgot your number? Recover it on the portal or app with your Aadhaar or registered mobile.
Scan and Share (quick OPD registration) works at ABDM-enabled hospitals that display a QR code at the registration counter.
- Open the ABHA app or Aarogya Setu and tap the QR scanner.
- Scan the code at the counter. The app shares your name, gender, mobile number, date of birth, ABHA address and ABHA number (if linked). Any other detail the hospital needs is taken at the counter.
- You get a token number. When it is called, collect your OPD slip at the counter.
A study cited by the government found this cut registration waiting time from about an hour to 2 to 5 minutes. Over 23.21 crore tokens had been issued by 18 Jun 2026.
Newer options at some hospitals: Scan and Pay (pay pending bills such as lab tests by scanning a code) and Scan and Share Records (scan the code on the doctor's desk to share chosen reports).
Get your records linked. At registration, give your ABHA address and agree to link records. To pull past records yourself in the ABHA app: Linked Facility → + → search the hospital → Fetch Records → enter the OTP → Pull Records. Aarogya Setu also lets you upload old paper reports through DigiLocker.
No need to print. Keep the digital ABHA card on your phone or note the number; printing the card is optional.
Consent and privacy
- Nothing is shared without you. A doctor or hospital sees your records only after you approve a request. The consent manager (HIE-CM) built by ABDM checks identity, records your consent and only then lets records move.
- You choose what and how long. Consent can cover selected records only, for a fixed period. Revoke it any time from the Consent tab in the app; revoked data is no longer visible to the provider.
- Records stay where they were made. ABDM does not store medical records; only registry details (such as your ABHA profile) are held centrally.
- Leaving is allowed. In your ABHA profile you can deactivate your ABHA number (temporary; you lose access to ABDM apps until you reactivate it) or delete it (permanent: the number and your demographic details are erased, and you can never again use it to reach records over ABDM).
The government advises sharing your full history with your own doctor where you can: hiding records may lead to a poorer clinical decision.
ABHA vs Ayushman card vs Ayushman Vay Vandana card
All three carry the "Ayushman Bharat" name and are run by NHA, but only the last two pay for treatment. The Ayushman card belongs to AB PM-JAY, the government's health assurance scheme for hospital care.
| ABHA | Ayushman card (AB PM-JAY) | Ayushman Vay Vandana card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Digital health ID for your records | Card of an eligible AB PM-JAY beneficiary (earlier "Golden Card") | AB PM-JAY card for senior citizens |
| Who gets it | Anyone, voluntarily | Eligible families only (criteria based on SECC 2011 data and later state lists) | All senior citizens aged 70 and above, "irrespective of their socio-economic status" |
| Free treatment? | No | Yes: cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation, cashless at empanelled hospitals | Yes: ₹5 lakh free health cover. If the family already has AB PM-JAY, an extra top-up of up to ₹5 lakh a year for the senior |
| Since | ABDM nationwide rollout, 27 Sep 2021 | 23 Sep 2018 | 29 Oct 2024 |
| Where to apply | abha.abdm.gov.in, ABHA app, Aarogya Setu | beneficiary.nha.gov.in, the Ayushman app, or an empanelled hospital | |
| Helpline | 1800-11-4477 / 14477 | 14555, or missed call 1800110770 (Vay Vandana) | |
Seniors already under CGHS, ECHS or Ayushman CAPF must choose between that scheme and AB PM-JAY. Those with private health insurance or ESI cover can still get the Vay Vandana card. Check eligibility only on beneficiary.nha.gov.in or pmjay.gov.in. For how the scheme works, see our AB PM-JAY guide.
Safety
An ABHA never makes you eligible for free treatment. Anyone who asks for money to "make an Ayushman card" through ABHA, or claims it gives ₹5 lakh cover, is misleading you. ABHA creation is free.
- Create or manage ABHA only on abha.abdm.gov.in, the ABHA app or Aarogya Setu; check Ayushman eligibility only on beneficiary.nha.gov.in or pmjay.gov.in.
- Never share the Aadhaar OTP or your ABHA password with a caller or agent. The OTP is your consent.
- Approve consent requests only from a doctor or hospital you are actually visiting, and revoke old ones you no longer need.
- Lost money or were cheated? Call 1930 or report on cybercrime.gov.in.
Problems, complaints and help
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Can't create or log in to ABHA | Call 1800-11-4477 / 14477 (24×7; Hindi, English, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam) or file at grievance.abdm.gov.in. You get a unique application number. |
| No OTP on Aadhaar mobile | Update your Aadhaar mobile, or use biometric authentication at an ABDM participating facility. |
| Forgot ABHA number | Use "Forgot ABHA number" in the app or portal, with Aadhaar or registered mobile. |
| Records not showing | Ask the hospital to link them to your ABHA address, or pull them yourself (see the hospital tab above). Only ABDM-enabled facilities can link records. |
| Ayushman card or hospital claim issue | Call the AB PM-JAY toll-free number 14555. |
History of ABHA
AB PM-JAY launched in Ranchi, with ₹5 lakh hospital cover per family per year.
ABDM (earlier the National Digital Health Mission) rolled out across India; anyone can create a Health ID, now called ABHA.
Scan and Share launched for quick OPD registration.
AB PM-JAY extended to all senior citizens aged 70+ with the Ayushman Vay Vandana card.
Over 100 crore health records linked to more than 90 crore ABHA accounts.
Aarogya Setu 2.0 relaunched as an ABDM health app with ABHA creation, records and Scan and Share.
FAQs
What is the full form of ABHA?
Ayushman Bharat Health Account. It was earlier called Health ID; the two are the same.
Is ABHA mandatory?
No. It is voluntary, and you will not be denied treatment for not having one.
Does ABHA give free treatment or ₹5 lakh cover?
No. ABHA is only a health ID for records. Free treatment comes from schemes such as AB PM-JAY, which have their own eligibility and their own Ayushman card.
Can I create ABHA without Aadhaar?
Yes, with a driving licence. Online you get an enrolment number; take your licence and that number to an ABDM participating facility to receive the ABHA number. An ABHA address alone can be made with just a mobile number.
Can I have two ABHA numbers?
An ABHA number is meant to be one per person, but you can create many ABHA addresses and link them all to it.
Can the government or other doctors see my records?
Records are shared only with providers you approve, for the records and time you choose. ABDM does not store medical records; they stay with the hospital or lab that created them.
How do I delete my ABHA?
From your ABHA profile you can deactivate it (reversible) or delete it permanently. Deletion erases the number and your details for good.
I am over 70. Should I get ABHA or the Vay Vandana card?
They do different jobs. The Vay Vandana card gives free hospital cover under AB PM-JAY; apply at beneficiary.nha.gov.in, the Ayushman app or an empanelled hospital. ABHA only organises your records. You can have both.
Official sources
- ABDM – ABHA portal: creation by Aadhaar or driving licence, ABHA address rules, deactivate/delete (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- ABDM – FAQs (ABHA, ABHA address, consent, Scan and Share, opt-out, helpline) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Explainer on Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA), 4 Apr 2024 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: India's Digital Health Backbone, 6 Jul 2026 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Enrolment for Ayushman Vay Vandana cards reaches 25 lakh, 9 Dec 2024 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Ayushman Vay Vandana enrolment touches 10 lakh, 16 Nov 2024 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – AB PM-JAY to be launched on 23 Sep 2018 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- ABDM – Grievance portal (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- NHA – Beneficiary portal (Ayushman card, Vay Vandana card) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
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