BENGALURU — In a significant leap toward a fully digitized and secure healthcare ecosystem, the National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded a two-day grand finale of the AB PM-JAY Auto-Adjudication Hackathon Showcase 2026 at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. The event, held on May 8–9, 2026, highlighted a series of groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) innovations designed to automate claims management and eliminate fraudulent activity under India’s flagship health insurance scheme.
The hackathon, organized in collaboration with the IndiaAI Mission and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), drew over 3,500 participants, ranging from seasoned technologists to medical startups. The primary objective was to address the massive volume of claims—nearly 40,000 per day—processed under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). While approximately 15–20% of these claims are currently auto-adjudicated, the NHA aims to drastically scale this percentage using advanced digital infrastructure.
Among the standout innovations showcased were multilingual Optical Character Recognition (OCR) systems capable of scanning, classifying, and extracting data from hand-written or low-quality medical records in various Indian languages. These tools are designed to verify hospital compliance with Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) automatically, ensuring that the prescribed treatments match the medical history provided.
The event also featured high-tech solutions for radiological image-based validation. Teams demonstrated AI models that can analyze X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to verify diagnoses in real-time, preventing the submission of mismatched or fabricated clinical evidence. Perhaps most critically, new models for fraud detection were unveiled, specifically targeting sophisticated threats like deepfake-generated medical documents, forged discharge summaries, and “ghost beneficiaries.”
“India is among the first countries in the Global South to develop a health AI benchmarking platform using India-specific datasets,” stated Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO of the National Health Authority. Officials emphasized that these AI-enabled systems are not intended to replace human oversight but to serve as a robust first line of defense that reduces manual workload, accelerates processing timelines, and protects the integrity of the public fund.
Beyond technical demonstrations, the showcase included panel discussions on the “Future of Claims Adjudication” and “Fraud in the Era of AI.” Experts explored the integration of Small Language Models (SLMs) and Large Language Models (LLMs) within existing workflows, prioritizing data privacy and accountable governance.
The hackathon concluded with the felicitation of winning teams, who received cash prizes and the opportunity to collaborate with the NHA for real-world deployment. As the government continues to expand the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), these AI innovations are expected to form the backbone of a faster, more transparent, and highly efficient health assurance system for millions of Indian citizens.
