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NSO Survey: Healthcare Access Improves, Out-of-Pocket Expenses Decline

The 80th round of the NSO survey reveals significant progress in India's healthcare system. Out-of-pocket expenditure for outpatient care in public facilities is now zero, reducing financial burden on households. Health-seeking behaviour has nearly doubled since 2017-18, with more people reporting ailments. The survey also shows increased coverage of government health insurance schemes and rising institutional deliveries.

Key Points: NSO Survey: Healthcare Access Improves, Costs Decline

  • Average out-of-pocket expenditure for outpatient care in public facilities is zero
  • Health-seeking behaviour nearly doubled since 2017-18
  • Ayushman Bharat coverage rose from 12.9% to 45.5% in rural areas
  • Institutional deliveries reach 95.6% in rural and 97.8% in urban areas
2 min read

NSO Survey: Healthcare access improves, out-of-pocket expenditure declines across India

NSO survey shows improved healthcare access, zero out-of-pocket expenditure for outpatient care in public facilities, and rising health insurance coverage in India.

"The findings of the NSO survey reaffirm the government's commitment to ensuring affordable, accessible and equitable healthcare for all. - Government statement"

New Delhi, April 30

The 80th round of the National Statistical Office survey on household social consumption related to health highlights significant progress in India's healthcare system, reflecting improved access, affordability, and utilisation of services across the country.

According to the survey, average healthcare expenditure remains low, indicating a reduced financial burden on households. Notably, the average out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for outpatient care in public health facilities was reported as zero, underscoring widespread access to free essential healthcare services.

The survey further revealed that more than half of the patients admitted to government health facilities incurred OOPE of less than ₹1,100, while the average medical expenditure per hospitalisation stood at ₹11,285 in 2025.

Health-seeking behaviour has also strengthened, with the projected population reporting ailments (PPRA) nearly doubling compared to 2017-18--from 6.8 per cent to 12.2 per cent in rural areas and from 9.1 per cent to 14.9 percent in urban areas.

Utilisation of public health facilities has increased, particularly in rural areas, where outpatient care usage has risen from 28 per cent in 2014 to 35 percent in 2025, driven by the expansion of primary healthcare services.

The survey noted a significant rise in coverage of government-funded health insurance schemes, including Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with coverage increasing from 12.9 per cent to 45.5 per cent in rural areas and from 8.9 per cent to 31.8 per cent in urban areas.

It also highlighted improvements in maternal healthcare, with institutional deliveries rising to 95.6 per cent in rural areas and 97.8 per cent in urban areas, reflecting better access to healthcare services.

Covering 1,39,732 households across rural and urban India, the survey provides comprehensive insights into healthcare access, affordability, and utilisation patterns, attributing the progress to increased public investment, expansion of healthcare infrastructure, and targeted government interventions.

The NSO survey also reveals an increasing trend in the use of public health facilities over the past three rounds. It shows that while approximately 28 per cent of the rural population turned to public facilities for outpatient care in 2014, this is projected to increase to 35 per cent by 2025.

The findings of the NSO survey reaffirm the government's commitment to ensuring affordable, accessible and equitable healthcare for all.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

V
Vikram M
Great to see institutional deliveries at 95%+ across India. My mother-in-law tells me horror stories of home births in the 80s. The Ayushman Bharat card has been a lifesaver for many in our extended family. Progress is real, but we still need more specialist doctors in rural areas.
K
Kavya N
The zero OOPE for public outpatient care is huge! But I live in Bangalore and even govt hospitals here have long waiting times. The infrastructure improvement is there, but we need more hospitals. Still, good to see the government collecting and publishing such data transparently.
A
Aditya G
PPRA doubling is interesting - more people reporting ailments doesn't necessarily mean we're getting sicker, it shows health awareness has improved! Earlier people would just ignore minor issues. The govt should also focus on mental health services though, that's still neglected.
R
Ravi K
I work as a nurse in a district hospital in Rajasthan. Yes, things have improved but we still face shortages of medicines and basic equipment. The OOPE might be zero on paper but patients often have to buy medicines from outside. Let's not celebrate too early - we need to ensure these numbers translate to real quality care.
J
James A
Impressive data from India! The fact that 45.5% rural population now has government health insurance coverage is remarkable. From a global perspective, this kind of rapid expansion in healthcare access is rare. Looking forward to seeing how India sustains this progress.

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