The 80th round of the National Statistical Office (NSO) survey on household social consumption related to health reveals considerable improvements in India's healthcare system, with enhanced access, affordability, and utilisation of services throughout the country.
The survey indicates that average healthcare expenditure remains low, reflecting a reduced financial burden on households. Crucially, the average out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for outpatient care at public health facilities was recorded as zero, highlighting extensive access to free essential healthcare services.
It also showed that more than half of the patients admitted to government health facilities had an OOPE of less than ₹1,100, while the average medical cost per hospitalisation was ₹11,285 in 2025.
Health-seeking behaviour has significantly increased, with the projected population reporting ailments (PPRA) nearly doubling since 2017-18-from 6.8 per cent to 12.2 per cent in rural areas, and from 9.1 per cent to 14.9 per cent in urban areas.
The utilisation of public health facilities has risen, particularly in rural regions where outpatient care use increased from 28 per cent in 2014 to 35 per cent in 2025, attributed to the expansion of primary healthcare services.
The survey also noted a substantial rise in coverage by government-funded health insurance schemes, including Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with coverage growing 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.
Improvements in maternal healthcare were also highlighted, with institutional deliveries reaching 95.6 per cent in rural areas and 97.8 per cent in urban areas, demonstrating better access to healthcare services.
Covering 139,732 households across rural and urban India, the survey provides comprehensive insights into healthcare access, affordability, and utilisation patterns. It attributes the progress to increased public investment, expansion of healthcare infrastructure, and targeted government interventions.
The NSO survey further reveals a continued upward trend in the use of public health facilities over the past three rounds. It shows that approximately 28 per cent of the rural population used public facilities for outpatient care in 2014, projected to rise to 35 per cent by 2025.
The findings reaffirm the government’s commitment to ensuring affordable, accessible, and equitable healthcare for all.