Less than 20% of the population was covered by any form of health insurance in 2014, based on the National Sample Survey (71st round) of household data (National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), 2015). An estimate of the National Health Profile (Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), 2019), states that about 48 crore individuals were covered by any health insurance in 2017-2018, which is about 37.2% of the population. A more recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-2021, found that 41% of households with any usual member was covered under a health insurance/financing scheme. In principle, all citizens are eligible to receive health services in tax-financed public facilities (Gupta, 2020). In practice, there are major supply side constraints that limit access to public facilities, resulting in high out-of-pocket expenditures at private facilities by households (Gupta, 2020).

References:

Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI). (2019). National Health Profile. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Available from http://www.cbhidghs.nic.in/showfile.php?lid=1147

Gupta, I. (2020). India | Commonwealth Fund. Commonwealthfund.org. Retrieved from: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries/india.

National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). (2015). Key Indicators of Social Consumption in India Health -NSS 71^st Round. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India. Available from https://www.thehinducentre.com/resources/article7378862.ece