Spending cuts: PM Modi puts brakes on promised universal health care plan
9 years, 11 months ago

Spending cuts: PM Modi puts brakes on promised universal health care plan

Firstpost  

The health plan was drafted in consultation with Modi’s office and an expert panel, including an expert from the World Bank New Delhi - Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked for a drastic cutback of an ambitious health care plan after cost estimates came in at $18.5 billion over five years, several government sources said, delaying a promise made in his election manifesto. The health ministry developed a draft policy on universal health care in coordination with the prime minister’s office last year. Modi’s manifesto ahead of the election that brought him to power last year accorded “high priority” to the health sector and promised a universal health assurance plan. “Greater availability of funds for public health care under this programme would have further boosted growth of the private medical industry,” Bose said.

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History of this topic

Government spending for healthcare increased under Modi regime: Nadda
5 days, 21 hours ago

Government spending for healthcare increased under Modi regime: Nadda

The Hindu  

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday on the working of his Ministry, said that the health policy adopted by the Narendra Modi Government in 2017 had shifted the focus towards comprehensive healthcare development from a curative approach. Mr. Nadda said the All India Institute of Medical Research was now promoting research …

A status check of universal health coverage in India
1 week ago

A status check of universal health coverage in India

The Hindu  

A little over six years ago, what has been proclaimed as the world’s largest health assurance scheme, namely, the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, was rolled out in the face of hitherto scarce evidence of publicly funded health insurance affording significant levels of financial risk protection, particularly to the marginalised. Frequently, inpatient care insurance is linked to …

Health Gets 30 per Cent More Funds Than Last Year: Minister
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Health Gets 30 per Cent More Funds Than Last Year: Minister

Deccan Chronicle  

Vijayawada: Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav has said five multi-specialty hospitals are being constructed in tribal areas at a cost of Rs 50 crore each. The minister thanked the state assembly for sanctioning a budget grant of Rs 19,264 crore for medical and health, and noted that this was 30 per cent more than the budget allocations for health from the …

Kerala Budget: Not a substantial allocation for health care sector
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Kerala Budget: Not a substantial allocation for health care sector

The Hindu  

The outlay of the State Budget presented by Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal in the Assembly on health care, which excludes health-related expenditure such as water and sanitation, is around ₹3,000 crore, which accounts for 1.74% of the proposed total government expenditure. The issue of poor government spending in the health sector had been plaguing the public health-conscious State like …

Economic Survey 2025: AB-PMJAY reduced out-of-pocket-expenditure from 62.6% to 39.4%
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Economic Survey 2025: AB-PMJAY reduced out-of-pocket-expenditure from 62.6% to 39.4%

The Hindu  

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, India’s health assurance scheme, providing financial protection for secondary and tertiary healthcare, has contributed to significant reductions in out-of-pocket expenditure through an increase in social security and primary health expenditure, with over ₹1.25 lakh crore in savings recorded, said the Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday, January 31, 2025, by …

Budget 2025: What does healthcare sector want apart from tax reform and innovative push?
Trending News
2 months ago

Budget 2025: What does healthcare sector want apart from tax reform and innovative push?

India TV News  

The Union Budget 2025 of the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is about to be announced soon. This time, along with all the other sectors, the health sector has also high expectations from the highly-awaited Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's budget. Also, the healthcare sector is urging a reduction in import duty on medical devices and measures …

Budget 2025: How can government make healthcare more affordable
2 months ago

Budget 2025: How can government make healthcare more affordable

India Today  

All eyes are set on February 1, as the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to unveil the Budget 2025. These challenges hinder the full realisation of a healthier, more resilient population.” He added, “A key step in this direction would be rationalising the GST from the current 18% on health and wellness products, including dietary supplements.” EXPANDING GST EXEMPTIONS …

Budget 2025: Higher insurance penetration, Ayushman Bharat among 4 key expectations to benefit Healthcare Industry
2 months, 1 week ago

Budget 2025: Higher insurance penetration, Ayushman Bharat among 4 key expectations to benefit Healthcare Industry

Live Mint  

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget for fiscal 2025-26 on February 1. The expectations are building and healthcare industry expects expansion of healthcare schemes such as ayushman Bharat, increased Insurance penetration, emphasis on preventive healthcare, Tax releif for consumables and equipments This year’s budget must take bold steps to prioritize the health and …

Budget 2025: Healthcare Experts Seek Special Focus On Innovation And Accessibility
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Budget 2025: Healthcare Experts Seek Special Focus On Innovation And Accessibility

ABP News  

The healthcare system is one of the most crucial aspects of every country and every government puts a special focus on it. More Focus On Mental Health Manun Thakur, Founder and CEO of Veda Rehabilitation and Wellness, said, “According to a recent report by Deloitte India, “Poor mental health in employees is causing Indian companies a loss of over $14 …

Doctors urge govt. to allocate more funds to health sector
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Doctors urge govt. to allocate more funds to health sector

The Hindu  

Medical professionals on Thursday urged the government to urgently strengthen primary health centres, community health centres and district health centres in the State. Health Budget-2025’, organised by Praja Aarogya Vedika at MBVK Bhavan in Vijayawada, doctors discussed the importance of raising the allocation for the health sector in the upcoming Budget. Some of their demands include attention to preventive healthcare; …

A vision for healthcare in India
2 months, 2 weeks ago

A vision for healthcare in India

The Hindu  

Health development is an integral part of social development. Universal health coverage is a vital consideration in an impoverished country such as India and expanding the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to include a broader population base is without doubt a crucial initiative. Given that it’s the digital era, implementing the National Digital Health Mission to create digital health …

Soaring inflation pushes up health insurance premiums; makes standardised care costlier
3 months ago

Soaring inflation pushes up health insurance premiums; makes standardised care costlier

The Hindu  

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, India is witnessing a surge in healthcare cost inflation, making assured and standardised healthcare unviable for several sections of the society and pushing up health insurance premiums. Speaking to The Hindu, Sumit Bohra, president of the Insurance Brokers Association of India notes that currently in India, rising healthcare costs and growing health insurance premiums are feeding …

The challenge of universal health coverage
3 months, 1 week ago

The challenge of universal health coverage

The Hindu  

The ongoing national conversation on what India needs to do for universal health coverage often misses the complexity of multiple health systems and the unique challenges they bring. Not the solution Government health expenditure in West Bengal, which was ₹1,346 per capita in 2019-20, is only about 61% of the estimated ₹2,205 required to offer UHC. The story is no …

India Needs to Spend More on Healthcare Says Ex-RBI Gov
4 months, 1 week ago

India Needs to Spend More on Healthcare Says Ex-RBI Gov

Deccan Chronicle  

Mumbai: India needs to urgently increase its spending on healthcare and education for accelerating the country’s progress, former Reserve Bank of India governor C Rangarajan said on Friday. He said that India’s healthcare expenditure is currently less than 2 per cent of its GDP, and the government must urgently increase it. Speaking at the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, Rangarajan …

PM Modi Launches Health Cover Plan for Senior Citizens, Hits Out at Delhi and West Bengal Governments
4 months, 3 weeks ago

PM Modi Launches Health Cover Plan for Senior Citizens, Hits Out at Delhi and West Bengal Governments

Hindustan Times  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a health cover plan for citizens aged 70 and above under the government's flagship Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The scheme will provide health coverage to all eligible senior citizens regardless of their income. Modi highlighted that the scheme was a blessing for every person associated with it, be it a …

Evolution of the health care policy framework in India
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Evolution of the health care policy framework in India

Hindustan Times  

This paper traces the history of the evolution of India’s health care policy framework, focusing on its major objectives, challenges faced, and outcomes emerged. The key themes prevalent across most of these policies and specific initiatives included: increasing public health spending and reducing out-of-pocket or catastrophic health spending; addressing rural-urban inequalities in healthcare; developing primary health care; and achieving universal …

The burden of health care on India’s poorest
7 months, 1 week ago

The burden of health care on India’s poorest

Hindustan Times  

In recent years, the Indian government has made significant strides in reducing the burden of health expenditure on the common citizen. A particular focus of the government has been to reduce the burden of severe economic shocks due to “catastrophic” health care expenditure such as hospitalisation. In order to understand the character of catastrophic health expenditure, Artha Global’s Centre for …

A Budget that places health on the margins
8 months ago

A Budget that places health on the margins

The Hindu  

With the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, the Union Budget expectedly shifted focus to levers of economic growth such as infrastructure and employment. It was also hoped that the recognition of population health as a vital investment for accelerating as well as protecting economic growth would see continued investment in strengthening our health systems. In the Interim Budget, …

Budget 2024: Health and Pharma industry eyes increase in GDP
8 months ago

Budget 2024: Health and Pharma industry eyes increase in GDP

Live Mint  

New Delhi: Ahead of the union budget presentation which is scheduled to be presented on 23 July, Tuesday by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, eyes lie on the heath sector with high expectations from the healthcare and pharma sector. Dr. Harsh Mahajan Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging & Labs noted that the healthcare industry …

Union Budget: Healthcare challenges and how the government can navigate them
1 year, 1 month ago

Union Budget: Healthcare challenges and how the government can navigate them

Firstpost  

The healthcare industry has always been the core of any flourishing civilisation. Modern medical challenges Public expenditure on healthcare contributes to only 1.3 per cent of GDP, resulting in compromised healthcare standards. As per some projections, AI utilisation in healthcare resource optimisation could contribute $25 billion to India’s GDP by 2025. Role of government in shaping healthcare The government must …

State’s budgetary allocation for public health on the decline in last three years
1 year, 5 months ago

State’s budgetary allocation for public health on the decline in last three years

Hindustan Times  

While chief minister Eknath Shinde is talking about doubling the expenditure on public health, an analysis of the last three budgets has revealed that the allocation has been on a downward spiral - from 5.09% in 2021-22 to 4.01% in the current financial year. As per a presentation made at the meeting, the government spending on health infrastructure has gone …

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in India: Inter-state variations
1 year, 7 months ago

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in India: Inter-state variations

Hindustan Times  

Adequate public investment in health, by ensuring better affordability and availability of health care, is crucial for sustaining a resilient public health system. Chart 2 In five states, high public health spending is related to low OOPE, while in four states, low public health spending is related to high OOPE. In eight states, low public health spending is related to …

Centre mandated spending on health has positive impact: study
1 year, 8 months ago

Centre mandated spending on health has positive impact: study

The Hindu  

Measures taken by the National Health Mission have given a positive fillip to the health sector across the country in the past 15 years, a study published in the Public Health For All journal has concluded. The States received funding only if they complied with the Central Government’s schemes, and States were nudged to enhance investment in primary health care. …

More than 90 million Indians spend ‘catastrophic’ 10-25% of household expenses on healthcare
1 year, 8 months ago

More than 90 million Indians spend ‘catastrophic’ 10-25% of household expenses on healthcare

Hindustan Times  

Healthcare expenditure of around 90 million Indians has crossed the ‘catastrophic’ levels – a state of financial condition where health spending exceeds 10% threshold of household consumption, posing a threat to maintain the subsistence needs. According to the Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2023, a total of 31 million people living in families spend more that a …

Health Matters | How much money is too much money for vaccines?
1 year, 8 months ago

Health Matters | How much money is too much money for vaccines?

The Hindu  

Ultimately affordability decides entitlement. There is also sufficient evidence to back the common knowledge that India has a high burden of out-of-pocket expenditure for health care, meaning payment for health services is made by the patients themselves. Back to pricing, it is also why the low-cost DNA test to detect cervical cancer within 45 minutes comes as good news, specifically …

What you can do to reduce your out-of-pocket-expenditure on healthcare
1 year, 10 months ago

What you can do to reduce your out-of-pocket-expenditure on healthcare

Live Mint  

The young advertising executive was on his way home from office when he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. First, the hospital where he was admitted said that he had to immediately pay ₹50,000 towards admission—It informed him that he was not eligible for cashless admission since the hospital was not part of the insurer’s network. While people with …

Budget 2023 Reactions LIVE: Amit Shah Says Push To Cooperative Sector 'All-inclusive, Visionary'
2 years, 1 month ago

Budget 2023 Reactions LIVE: Amit Shah Says Push To Cooperative Sector 'All-inclusive, Visionary'

ABP News  

Budget 2023: The crucial day is here when Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government 2.0 will be presenting its last full-fledged budget ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. Taxpayers are hoping for further exemption in the current taxable income from Rs 2.5 lakh per annum to Rs 5 lakh per annum. Introduced in Budget 2020, the new tax …

Budget 2023: Experts Hope For Increased Thrust On Medical Education, Drug Research, AYUSH, Child And Maternal Health Initiatives
2 years, 1 month ago

Budget 2023: Experts Hope For Increased Thrust On Medical Education, Drug Research, AYUSH, Child And Maternal Health Initiatives

ABP News  

Budget 2023: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to announce India’s budget for the year 2023 on Wednesday, February 1. Experts have called for heavy investment in medical colleges, healthcare infrastructure, and disease awareness initiatives, and expect the budget to focus on drug research, child and maternal health initiatives, traditional medical practices, infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, among others. …

Economic Survey 2022-23 | Out-of-pocket health spending still high, despite hike in government expenditure
2 years, 1 month ago

Economic Survey 2022-23 | Out-of-pocket health spending still high, despite hike in government expenditure

The Hindu  

Almost half of all health spending in India is still paid by patients themselves directly at the point of treatment, although this has dropped as the government’s share of spending on health went up significantly after 2013-14, according to the Economic Survey 2022-23. The share of government health expenditure in total health expenditure was just 28.6% in the financial year …

Budget 2023: Why last full budget of Narendra Modi govt should focus on health sector
2 years, 2 months ago

Budget 2023: Why last full budget of Narendra Modi govt should focus on health sector

Firstpost  

Since next year, 2024, the country will hold general elections, it would be a vote-on-account. It must include allocations for public hospitals, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and digital health, including R&D and capacity building for healthcare at all levels. The providers from these smaller towns should be able to deliver healthcare, and government must ‘ONLY’ give local providers viability gap funding and …

Budget 2023: What Insurance Industry Demands to Boost Insurance Penetration in India
2 years, 2 months ago

Budget 2023: What Insurance Industry Demands to Boost Insurance Penetration in India

News 18  

The Union Budget 2023 — the most eagerly awaited financial event of the year — is just around the corner. Since the growth in the insurance sector has the potential to directly aid India’s global aspirations, Budget 2023 could prove to be a catalyst for its reformation. Here are a few expectations the insurance sector has from this year’s Budget: …

Budget 2023: PHDCCI pitches for increasing health budget by 30-40%
2 years, 2 months ago

Budget 2023: PHDCCI pitches for increasing health budget by 30-40%

Live Mint  

Industry body PHDCCI on December 29 said the health budget should be increased by 30-40 percent as there is a growing need for health facilities and infrastructure across the country. Making the suggestion for the forthcoming Union Budget, Saket Dalmia, President of PHDCCI, said the budget for health has seen a rise of about 16 per cent in absolute terms …

Alleviating the scourge of private healthcare
2 years, 3 months ago

Alleviating the scourge of private healthcare

The Hindu  

India ranks poorly on multiple health financing indicators. Public health insurance schemes have often been reproached for imposing unreasonable package rates on empanelled private providers with a weak regard for actual costs of care. For instance, some countries like Canada have conceived regional health boards that organise care equitably within regions, exploit economies of scale, and bring down healthcare costs. …

A heartening health update
2 years, 6 months ago

A heartening health update

Hindustan Times  

The latest report of National Health Accounts — it has data for 2018-19 — shows that India continues to make progress towards reducing the burden of health spending on household budgets. This is a heartening development because the poor are more likely to gain when government spending rather than private health insurance brings about a reduction in OOP spending. As …

Defining a new pathway for enhanced healthcare
3 years ago

Defining a new pathway for enhanced healthcare

Hindustan Times  

The challenges faced in the past by the Indian healthcare system pale in comparison with those brought on by the pandemic. Globally it can be seen that government expenditures on health need to be more than 70% to 75% of total health expenditures to deliver truly high-quality healthcare services. A review of the November 2021 State of State Finances report …

To bolster health care, governments must raise their budget allocations
3 years ago

To bolster health care, governments must raise their budget allocations

Hindustan Times  

We are now past the halfway mark between 2017 and 2025. The National Health Policy 2017 aimed to increase public health spending from about 1% of the Gross Domestic Product to 2.5% by 2025. Before NHP 2017, NHP 2002, National Rural Health Mission in 2005, and the 11th and 12th five-year plans, all envisioned an increase in public health spending …

Budget 2022: Why healthcare policies need to factor entire value chain from prevention, diagnosis, treatment to insurance coverage
3 years, 2 months ago

Budget 2022: Why healthcare policies need to factor entire value chain from prevention, diagnosis, treatment to insurance coverage

Firstpost  

Union Budget 2022-23: The COVID-19 crisis experience has already highlighted the challenges faced by the healthcare sector Although healthcare has always been an evolving field with a focus on new therapies, drugs, diagnostic techniques, preventive medicine, and constant research, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that shifted attention to our preparedness in facing a healthcare crisis. Budget 2020-21 takeaways The Rs …

Wanted: A truly generous health cheque for underserved Indians
3 years, 4 months ago

Wanted: A truly generous health cheque for underserved Indians

Live Mint  

At an annual spend hovering around ₹2,000 per capita, India’s public health expenditure remains one of the lowest among major economies in the world. Yet, in fiscal 2020-21, when the pandemic burst on the scene, India’s government health expenditure inched up to merely 1.5% of GDP. The National Health Policy, in addition to recommending an increase in overall public health …

‘More health for the money’: Obtaining more value from financing
3 years, 6 months ago

‘More health for the money’: Obtaining more value from financing

Hindustan Times  

Currently, we in India spend a total of about 4% of our Gross Domestic Product on health care, with almost 2.5% being directly paid for by us at the time that we use any health care services, and only 1.25% being spent by the government. Having failed to obtain substantial improvements within their current systems using traditional methods, a number …

The health nudge is merely a mirage
4 years, 1 month ago

The health nudge is merely a mirage

Live Mint  

HYDERABAD : The Union Budget, as expected, focused on healthcare, recognizing the havoc that the pandemic has caused in the country. With current enrolment under RSBY and other state-run insurance schemes well below the target of 500 million, increased allocation of funds was a necessary step in order to expand health insurance coverage. In a year when everything should have …

What The 137% Hike in Health Budget Means: From a Doctor Petitioning for Healthy India
4 years, 1 month ago

What The 137% Hike in Health Budget Means: From a Doctor Petitioning for Healthy India

News 18  

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented India’s budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 on Monday. Emphasizing that the Budget proposal of 2021-2022 rests on 6 pillars including that of Health and Wellbeing, Sitharaman proposed more than doubling India’s healthcare and wellbeing spending to 2.2 trillion rupees. Dr Sarika Verma, an ENT surgeon based out …

In annual budget, India vows to boost spending to revive economy
4 years, 1 month ago

In annual budget, India vows to boost spending to revive economy

Al Jazeera  

India to double healthcare spending, increase cap on foreign investment in insurance to boost the industry. The current fiscal year ending on March 31 was expected to close out with a deficit of 9.5 percent, she said, much higher than the government’s earlier projection of 7 percent. Sitharaman proposed increasing healthcare spending to 2.2 trillion Indian rupees to help improve …

Healthcare likely to get top priority in Budget: Survey
4 years, 1 month ago

Healthcare likely to get top priority in Budget: Survey

India TV News  

Healthcare likely to get top priority in Budget: Survey India's healthcare sector is likely to get the maximum attention of the government in the upcoming Budget to be unveiled on Monday, as it comes in the face of the country braving a once-in-a-century global pandemic, says a survey. India's healthcare sector is likely to get the maximum attention of the …

Economic Survey | ‘High out-of-pocket expenses for health can lead to poverty’
4 years, 1 month ago

Economic Survey | ‘High out-of-pocket expenses for health can lead to poverty’

The Hindu  

India has one-of-the highest level of Out-Of-Pocket Expenditures contributing directly to the high incidence of catastrophic expenditures and poverty, notes the Economic Survey. The Survey also underlines that OOPE for health increases the risk of vulnerable groups slipping into poverty because of catastrophic health expenditures. The Survey added that for enabling India to respond to pandemics, the health infrastructure must …

Reviving growth: Government needs to do a fine balance in Budget on Feb. 1
4 years, 2 months ago

Reviving growth: Government needs to do a fine balance in Budget on Feb. 1

Deccan Chronicle  

With economic activity resuming and the vaccine becoming a reality, the challenge of lives versus livelihoods is largely addressed. Supporting economic recovery and growth via greater public expenditure as well as ensuring prudent fiscal management to safeguard macro-economic stability is an immediate concern the Budget must address. Therefore, the government must hike its infrastructure spend by one per cent of …

What should a common man’s Budget look like?
4 years, 2 months ago

What should a common man’s Budget look like?

Live Mint  

By Rahul Jain A significant financial event that always draws keen attention from all and sundry is the Union Budget. It will also be a good idea to increase the income tax threshold limit from the existing ₹2 lakhs for individuals below 60 to at least ₹ 2.5-3 lakhs to allow them to save more. Currently, taxpayers can claim exemption …

Experts expect tax benefits u/s 80D to increase to ₹1 lakh in Budget 2021
4 years, 2 months ago

Experts expect tax benefits u/s 80D to increase to ₹1 lakh in Budget 2021

Live Mint  

Even prior to the global pandemic, health insurance was a growing sector, however, the pandemic has spotlighted the indispensable nature of having a safety net when it comes to healthcare costs. "Given the global focus on health, we anticipate that this year’s union budget will have larger thrust on health reforms," says Mayank Bathwal, CEO, Aditya Birla Health Insurance. He …

How Covid-19 will shape India's Budget 2021
4 years, 2 months ago

How Covid-19 will shape India's Budget 2021

India Today  

After being shaken by a pandemic, India’s upcoming budget is likely to allocate more money on health and related infrastructure. The government's budget gap will likely widen more than 7 per cent of the GDP this year as tax collection has dropped due to economic slowdown. Data shows that India's out-of-pocket expenditure is more than 60 per cent of India's …

India Inc’s Budget Wish List Takes a Lesson From Covid-19 With Rare Health Spending Demand
4 years, 2 months ago

India Inc’s Budget Wish List Takes a Lesson From Covid-19 With Rare Health Spending Demand

News 18  

India has a dismal ratio of doctors and hospital beds, and the fragility of our healthcare infrastructure was amplified in 2020, when a global pandemic threatened to overwhelm our hospitals and medical centres. Covid-19, the gravest health threat in recent memory, has now pushed the country’s apex business chambers to also emphasise the need for hiking government health spend in …

Stopping the slide of health care in India
4 years, 3 months ago

Stopping the slide of health care in India

The Hindu  

India’s health care is a dark echo chamber. What makes insurance and private health care an egregious combination is that the insurance backup incentivises hospitals to expand the bill but the patients do not get attended to in their best interests. In any case, insurance of secondary and tertiary care pushes out long-term investment by the state and people and …

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