Page 181 - India Insurance Report 2023- BIMTECH

India Insurance Report - Series II 169

Hailed as the best healthcare in the world, Germany employs a compulsory health insurance formula
to provide equal right to medical care for all. The insurance can be statutory (public) or private depending
on the gross income and the premium is calculated as a percentage of the salary which is paid by both the
employer and employee. Yet, the coverage is the same for everyone. Even Vietnam boasts of a compulsory
state-run health insurance that covers both inpatient and outpatient costs and results in low out-of-
pocket expenses for the public. We can take a leaf out of the book of state-funded health care systems in
Great Britain or Sweden that draw on tax revenue to extend comprehensive health coverage to all
citizens. Countries like Sri Lanka and Thailand have also managed to reduce the financial burden on
citizens by strengthening their primary health care system.

There seems to be an excessive focus on diagnostic and curative services right through the 76 years of
Independence in India. Promotive, preventive and rehabilitative services have never garnered the requisite
attention. This arrant discrepancy has become glaringly obvious in the face of the unprecedented challenges
thrown by the current pandemic. Most of the population is left vulnerable to Covid-19 due to the rampant
malnourishment and lack of immunity which is further augmented by the low access to healthcare.

The government has to accelerate its efforts and implement comprehensive healthcare reforms on a
war footing now if we are to be better prepared when the next pandemic comes around. Sustainable and
inclusive growth in health coverage calls for a multi-pronged approach backed by proper planning,
financing and monitoring that will make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all. This will
reduce poverty, improve the quality of life and enhance our long-term economic prospects as well.

What we have to do is build a robust health system at the community level. Investing in healthcare
infrastructure will not only bring medical facilities to the patients’ doorstep, but also introduce a healthy
element of competition and choice all around.

The government has to definitely engage the private sector in its goal of universal health coverage.
However, what we need is a healthy public-private partnership that will reduce the current over-reliance
on private healthcare. Yet, it has to be made feasible for the private sector to implement the health
schemes offered by the government.

Health coverage schemes will be able to push the boundaries only when they encompass outpatient
care, medications, diagnostic services, wage loss compensation and even travel allowance where needed,
rather than just focusing on the hospitalization expenses.

To add to this, essential medicines should be easily available to all. A ceiling price also has to be
fixed on medicines and diagnostic services, which will slowly alleviate the predisposed tendency to
associate price with quality. Congregating the various health schemes is a good idea as well. Adopting
technology in the form of a secure digital system for maintaining health records and making them inter-
operable is imperative. This will facilitate better healthcare decisions and more coordinated care. And it
goes without saying that a well-trained and motivated health workforce is crucial for executing health
initiatives.

All these measures call for funding. In sum, healthcare is a fundamental and universal right. Can it be
allowed to hinge on a person’s ability to pay? We have barely managed to scratch the surface until now. A
wholesome and integrated synergy is essential for delivering the best possible health to the people at large!