Health expenses dip as govt. spend rises, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) in total health expenditure decreased by 21% between 2013-14 and 2022-23.
• OOPE as a share of total health expenditure was 43.4% in 2022-23, compared to 64.2% in 2013-14.
• Government health expenditure increased from 1.15% of GDP in 2013-14 to 1.43% in 2022-23.
• Per capita government health expenditure rose nearly 2.7 times, from ₹1,042 to ₹2,786, during the same period.
• Social security expenditure on health increased from 6% in 2013-14 to 9.9% in 2022-23.

Detailed Insights:

• The decline in OOPE indicates improved access to health services and reduced financial burden on households.
• Over 1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandir wellness centres provide free preventive and curative healthcare services, contributing to reduced sickness episodes.
• These centres offer 12 expanded packages, including reproductive and child health, communicable/non-communicable diseases, and free drugs/diagnostics.
• Purchase of pharmaceuticals, including health supplements, from wellness centres is a driver of OOPE in current estimates.
• Health expenditure's share in general government expenditure increased from 3.78% to 4.89% between 2013-14 and 2022-23.
• Government health expenditure significantly increased to 1.84% of GDP in 2021-22 to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The share of private health insurance increased from 3.4% to 9.2%, indicating improved health-seeking behavior.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE): Direct payments made by individuals at the point of receiving healthcare.
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product): The total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period.
• Ayushman Arogya Mandir: Wellness centres providing preventive and curative healthcare services at the community level.