Emerging Health Care Model in India: Roadmap for Universal Health Coverage

Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS) is the largest government-sponsored healthcare scheme in the world aimed to provide healthcare facilities to over 10 crore families (8.03 crore families in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas will be entitle), covering urban and rural poor families as per the socio-economic census of 2011. It will also benefit the lower middle-class, middle-class and upper-middle class by job opportunities in the medical sector as new hospitals will open in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This scheme is targeted at poor, deprived rural families and identified occupational categories of urban workers' families. To ensure that nobody is left out (especially women, children and the elderly), there will be no cap on the family size and age under the AB-NHPS. The scheme will be cashless and paperless at public hospitals and empanelled private hospitals. It will cost the exchequer around INR 5, 000 crore this year because of the time taken to rollout the scheme. The scheme will cost INR 10, 000 crore when it is rolled out across India next year. AB-NHPS is largely seen credit positive for insurance companies as it will aide in higher premium growth as it will help grow health premiums and provide insurers with cross-selling and servicing opportunities. At a time when cost of private health care is shooting up, a universal health insurance scheme is expected to be lapped up by the poor. The scheme can be a step in the right direction to reach out to the poorest of the poor just before the next elections. Will NHPS ensure healthcare for all and wellness for all is a matter of time to see.