NSO 80th Household Survey shows three-fold increase in health insurance penetration

Health insurance penetration in India has grown three-fold with the percentage of population covered under various government health financed and insurance schemes in the country increasing from 12.9% to 45.5% in rural areas and from 8.9% to 31.8% in urban areas, during the 2017-25 period, the findings from the 80th Round Household Consumption: Health survey of National Statistical Office (NSO) reveal. The survey also captures an important epidemiological transition, with a decline in infectious diseases and a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.

The median out-of-pocket medical expenditure (OOPE) per hospitalisation case in more than half of the entire hospitalisation cases in the public health facilities was found to be Rs. 1,100, indicating that in over half of the hospitalizations in the country, relatively low expenditure is incurred. The enhanced affordability has coincided with a substantial increase in healthcare demand. The Proportion of Population Reporting Ailments (PPRA) has nearly doubled between the 75th and 80th rounds—from 6.8% to 12.2% in rural areas and 9.1% to 14.9% in urban areas, signalling improved awareness and a decisive shift towards proactive health-seeking behaviour, the survey shows. The health ministry said that the shift in epidemiological pattern reflects the impact of sustained Information, Education and Communication (IEC) efforts, intersectoral convergence through community-based platforms such as Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs), and large-scale screening initiatives at the primary care and community levels.

The survey also highlights continued progress in maternal and child health outcomes, with institutional deliveries increasing from 90.5% in 2017-18 to 95.6% in 2025 in rural areas and from 96.1% to 97.8% in urban areas during the same time period. The NSO survey also reveals the increasing trend towards utilisation of public health facilities over the last three rounds. It shows that where in 2014 around 28% rural population headed to public facilities for outpatient care, the same has surged to 35% in 2025.

Covering both rural and urban areas across the country, the survey canvassed 1,39,732 households—including 76,296 in rural areas and 63,436 in urban areas—thereby offering robust, ground-level insights into healthcare access, affordability, and utilisation patterns.