Almost half of India covered by health insurance, government survey
India
Big news: almost 50% of India's population is now covered by health insurance, according to a new government survey.
That's a huge leap from in 2017-18, when only about 14% in rural areas and 19% in cities had any coverage.
Government scrapped GST, hospital bills high
The government scrapped GST on health insurance premiums from September 2025, making plans more budget-friendly for everyone.
Still, getting sick can hit your wallet hard: average hospital bills are around ₹6,600 in public hospitals and over ₹50,000 in private ones.
Even with schemes like Ayushman Bharat helping more people get insured, high out-of-pocket costs and rising private premiums are still tough on families.