A new NSO survey finds India’s health insurance coverage is expanding, yet hospitalisation costs are still largely borne by patients. Rural households shoulder about 95% of hospital spending out of pocket, while urban patients also pay a significant share. Hospitalisation costs have nearly doubled, even as the frequency of hospitalisations per 1,000 people stays flat.
India’s health insurance coverage has risen sharply, with rural areas now outpacing urban centers in the share of people insured. The survey links the jump to expanding government schemes. However, it also reports continued out-of-pocket hospital spending. Hospitalisation is increasingly driven by infections, even as institutional deliveries reach nearly universal levels.
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