Hospital bill should not be a financial death sentence

As the Union Budget 2025 is presented on February 1, India's healthcare sector stands at the crossroads, demanding urgent reforms and strategic investments.

- Sanjeev Arora

As the Union Budget 2025 is presented on February 1, India's healthcare sector stands at the crossroads, demanding urgent reforms and strategic investments. While considerable progress has been made in infrastructure and disease control, persistent challenges such as affordability, accessibility, and regulatory inconsistencies continue to undermine public confidence.

This year's budget presents an opportunity to address these pressing concerns and pave the way for an equitable healthcare framework.

A hospital bill should not be a financial death sentence, yet India's healthcare system is marked by stark disparities in costs and service quality across private hospitals. The absence of a unified regulatory framework has led to unpredictable pricing, leaving patients vulnerable to exorbitant charges for basic and specialized treatments.

Strengthening regulatory mechanisms to ensure transparent pricing, uniform service delivery, and standardization of costs is essential. The budget should allocate funds to operationalize independent oversight bodies modeled on global best practices, such as Germany's standardized pricing system and Japan's insurance-backed medical services, which ensure equitable access.

Increase healthcare allocation