Government Health Expenditure Rises to INR 3.85 Trillion in a Decade
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The figures were released in the National Health Accounts estimate for 2022-23, which covers the period from 2013-14 to 2022-23.
India’s government health spending has nearly tripled over the past decade, rising from ₹1.30 lakh crore in 2013-14 to ₹3.85 lakh crore in 2022-23, according to the latest National Health Accounts estimates released by the Union Health Ministry.
The figures were released in the National Health Accounts estimate for 2022-23, which covers the period from 2013-14 to 2022-23.
The report gives a clear picture of how public health spending has grown over time and how that has changed the way healthcare costs are shared between the government and households.
The report shows that this increase came from higher public investment in healthcare, especially during the COVID-19 period, when spending rose to support emergency response measures, vaccination, and public health services.
It also shows that the government’s share of total health expenditure increased, while the share paid directly by households decreased over the same period.
The report explains how this shift affected patients and families. Out-of-pocket expenditure, which is the money people pay directly for medicines, treatment, and hospital visits, fell from 64.2% of total health expenditure in 2013-14 to 43.4% in 2022-23. This suggests that more healthcare costs are now being covered by government funding and public health programmes rather than paid for out of family budgets.
The ministry linked this decline to wider access to public healthcare, free medicines, diagnostics, and health schemes that reduced the cost of treatment for many households.
The data also shows that government spending on primary healthcare increased sharply during the same period. The report says this reflects a stronger focus on basic health services and care closer to communities.
It also notes that medicines and health supplements still remain the biggest part of household medical spending, showing that costs are still a concern for many families, even though the overall burden has reduced.
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