Most Indians with Disabilities Lack Health Insurance: White Paper
Over 80% of Indians with disabilities lack health insurance; over half of applicants are rejected, often for their disability or pre-existing conditions. Barriers include unaffordable premiums, inaccessible platforms, and low awareness. Experts call for urgent...
Bridging The Healthcare Gap in India: CSR As A Catalyst For UHC
In 2025, CSR plays a crucial role in accelerating Universal Health Coverage by bridging public system gaps through financing, digital health, and specialist care partnerships. Aligning CSR with national priorities, measurable outcomes, and sustainable handover ensures...
Why Asia-Pacific should care about care
UNDP is advancing care economy reforms across Asia-Pacific, helping countries formalize and value unpaid care work. India pilots childcare models; Malaysia develops a national care framework; Bangladesh links climate resilience with women’s livelihoods; Nepal empowers...
Bridging the Health Finance Gap in India: A Call for an IRDAI-RBI Affordability Pact
India’s healthcare financing is plagued by high out-of-pocket spending and inefficient claim settlements, forcing many into debt. A coordinated IRDAI-RBI “Affordability Pact” is needed to integrate digital payments, cashless networks, and financing solutions, making...
Private hospitals dominate Ayushman Bharat utilisation despite government majority
Despite most Ayushman Bharat hospitals being government-run, over half of treatments and two-thirds of costs occur in private hospitals. Since 2018, 9 crore treatments worth Rs 1.29 lakh crore have been provided. The scheme’s digital mission has linked 50 crore health...
Building Universal Health Coverage: Northeast Health Financing Forum Spurs Cross-State Collaboration and Reform
The Health Financing Forum held in Dimapur united policymakers and experts from Northeast India to discuss reforms and cross-state learning in healthcare financing. Led by Nagaland and the World Bank, the event emphasized innovation, collaboration, and financial...
Private Hospitals Suspend Services for India’s Health Insurance Members, Leaving Millions Without Care
India’s flagship health insurance scheme, PM-JAY, is under strain as 650 Haryana hospitals suspend services over ₹490 crore unpaid dues, cutting off 18 million people. In J&K, limited hospitals and delayed payments worsen access gaps. Patients face debt, delays,...
1,114 hospitals de-empanelled, 1,504 penalised under Ayushman Bharat Insurance scheme in India
The government has de-empanelled 1,114 hospitals, fined 1,504 ₹122 crore, and suspended 549 for fraud under Ayushman Bharat. A strong anti-fraud system, grievance redressal mechanism, and stricter claims settlement timelines aim to protect beneficiaries and improve...
One in five women in WHO Southeast Asia region covered under health insurance
In WHO Southeast Asia, only 1 in 5 women and 1 in 4 men have health insurance, with major gaps due to cultural, economic, and systemic factors. Tailored policies, stronger financing, and community education are needed to boost coverage and achieve Universal Health...
Evolving healthcare in Southern and Southeast Asia
Rapid ageing and rising non-communicable diseases are straining South and Southeast Asia’s underfunded healthcare systems. Countries are boosting funding, adopting digital health, and improving preventive care, but rural access gaps and high costs persist despite...
Health taxes to combat NCDs in India
India must raise taxes on tobacco and sugary drinks to curb health risks and recover economic costs, argue Nagarajan and John in a new World Bank blog, urging a Health Cess and stronger excise policies. In a World Bank blog post, Mohan Nagarajan and Rijo M. John...
Health insurance premiums in India now outpace national health budget
A surge in private insurance premiums has overtaken India’s public health budget, raising concerns over equity and access in the country’s shifting healthcare landscape.India’s healthcare financing is transforming, with individual health insurance premiums now...
Underinsured? 75% in India have health policies below Rs 1 million cover
A recent study indicates that 75% of health insurance buyers in India have coverage of Rs 10 lakh or less, with many underestimating healthcare costs and a significant portion unaware of term insurance benefits. Despite an 18% growth in term insurance in FY24, a lack...
How India’s tobacco taxes fund addiction and ignore prevention
India's tobacco governance reveals a stark contradiction, as the government collects over Rs 75,000 crore in tobacco taxes yet allocates less than Rs 50 crore annually to tobacco control programs, resulting in a chronic underfunding of health initiatives. This...
Indians are quitting the safety net of health insurance; GST and high premiums are only part of the problem
In India, rising health insurance premiums and increased claim rejections are driving individuals to opt out of policies. Many feel overcharged and frustrated with inadequate coverage, exacerbated by taxes on premiums, leading to distrust in insurers and a search for...