Over 80% Of Indians With Disabilities Lack Health Insurance: NGO White Paper

More than 80 per cent of Indians with disabilities remain uninsured, and over half of those who apply are often rejected without explanation despite legal safeguards meant to ensure equal access to health coverage, a new white paper released on Thursday has found.

- Press Trust Of India

The report, titled “Inclusive Health Coverage for All: Disability, Discrimination and Health Insurance in India”, was launched by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) at a roundtable attended by policymakers, insurers, and disability rights advocates.

Drawing on a nationwide survey of over 5,000 persons with disabilities across 34 states and union territories, the study warns that “deep systemic inequities” continue to block nearly 16 crore disabled Indians from both public and private insurance schemes.

According to the findings, 80 per cent of respondents had no health insurance, while 53 per cent of those who applied said their applications were rejected.

Many reported being turned away solely because of their disability or preexisting conditions, with particularly high denial rates among persons with autism, psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, and blood disorders such as thalassemia.