Experts hail raise in health risk cover deduction

Healthcare industry experts have welcomed the Budgetry announcement of increasing the limit of deduction of health insurance premium from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000.  The finance minister had also announced direct intervention via more public healthcare infrastructure.

Manipal Health Enterprise CEO & MD Ajay Bakshi said: "We welcome the government's move of increasing health insurance cover, this will enable people to seek out for quality healthcare which is a huge concern in our country."

To boost the burgeoning medical toursm, part of the healthcare industry, the government plans to give visas on arrival facility to 150 countries.

"Increase in visas on arrival facility to 150 countries will give a boost to medical tourism in the country," said Apollo Hospitals Managing Director Suneeta Reddy.

Industry body NATHEALTH secretary-general Anjan Bose said: “We welcomes government's positive Budget announcements like more AIIMS and increase in tax exemption limits for health insurance premium.”

But the observers in the industry say that the allocation of Rs 33,150 crore towards the healthcare sector comes as a disappointment as the government has not kept up with its promise of increasing expenditure on public health.

No specific focus

Even though welcoming increase in deduction for health insurance premium and overall thrust on social security, Deloitte in India senior director Charu Sehgal said there was an absence of specific focus on the healthcare sector, which was disappointing.

“Specifically, the boost to medical manufacturing and education, expected under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘skill development’ focus, was missing,” he said.