New Delhi, The Centre's health expenditure more than tripled to ₹4.14 lakh crore in 2023-24 from ₹1.30 lakh crore in 2013-14, while the share of out-of-pocket spending by households dropped by 21.5 percentage points in the same period, the latest National Health Accounts estimates showed.
The National Health Accounts Estimates for India 2023-24, released by the Union Health Ministry, showed that out-of-pocket expenditure as a share of total health expenditure fell from 64.2 per cent in 2013-14 to 42.7 per cent in 2023-24, highlighting a significant transformation in the country's healthcare financing landscape.
"Between 2013-14 and 2023-24, government health expenditure increased from approximately ₹1.30 lakh crore to ₹4.14 lakh crore.
"The simultaneous increase in public healthcare financing and decline in the proportion of spending borne directly by households reflect India's progress towards a more accessible, affordable and financially protective healthcare system," the health ministry said in a statement.
According to the estimates, the OOPE declined from 43.4 per cent in 2022-23 to 42.7 per cent in 2023-24, indicating a continued reduction in the proportion of healthcare costs directly borne by households.
"The sustained downward trend reflects the expanding role of government-supported healthcare services and financial protection mechanisms.
{{/usCountry}}"The sustained downward trend reflects the expanding role of government-supported healthcare services and financial protection mechanisms.
{{/usCountry}}"Initiatives aimed at improving access to free and affordable treatment, medicines, diagnostics and hospital services are supporting efforts to reduce dependence on direct household spending," the ministry said.
The government's share in total health expenditure also increased by 14.9 percentage points over the decade, the estimates showed, while per capita government health expenditure rose from ₹1,042 in 2013-14 to ₹2,959 in 2023-24, an increase of nearly three times.
The estimates also highlighted a rise in social security expenditure on health, with its share in total health expenditure increasing from 6 per cent in 2013-14 to 11 per cent in 2023-24.
This includes government-financed health insurance schemes, such as the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, state insurance schemes, social health insurance and medical expenditure for government employees.
Private health insurance expenditure also increased, with its share of total health expenditure rising from 3.4 per cent in 2013-14 to 10.2 per cent in 2023-24, the estimates showed.
The government expenditure on primary healthcare stood at around ₹1.53 lakh crore in 2023-24, underscoring the increased focus on primary and community-level healthcare, the ministry said.
Initiatives such as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, free drugs and diagnostics, the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and AMRIT pharmacies have contributed to efforts to improve access to affordable healthcare, it said.
According to the ministry, the Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY has also strengthened financial protection by providing cashless hospitalisation benefits to eligible beneficiaries.
The NHA Estimates for India 2023-24 constitute the 11th round of estimates prepared by the National Health Accounts Technical Secretariat that operates within the National Health Systems Resource Centre , Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The estimates are prepared using the internationally recognised System of Health Accounts 2011 framework.
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