Besides other sectors, Union Budget 2019-2020's allocations will also determine the shape the future of healthcare system and also how the sector will work in sync with the government's public healthcare policies.
From privatization to immediate allocation of funds, here's what the healthcare industry is expecting from this years' budget as told to ABP News by Dr Aditi Bhutani from Dr Bhutani Clinic, Apollo hospitals:
We need to substantially increase our Healthcare budgets. Our per person average healthcare spend is 85$ which is amongst the lowest if compared to other countries.
The healthcare sector needs privatization where implementation should be undertaken by private service providers to ensure that uniformity in quality healthcare is maintained. If the government plays a role of a monitoring agency, we will fare much better to deliver value based healthcare.
Healthcare service providers should be mandated to publish outcomes to demonstrate the essence of quality and world-class healthcare. It would also help us shape the future of healthcare system and deliver value based healthcare to patients.
Cancer can be defeated only when there is a change in behavior. Government should levy heavy taxes on components like cigarette and other sources of tobacco consumption and strike a strategy to help farmers with alternate model of beneficial agricultural practices.
Healthcare services should be made "zero-rated" under GST provisions instead of being exempted such that the cost of inputs throughout the industry can further be reduced by claiming refunds of taxes paid on these inputs. This will, in turn, help to enable these specialized services to reach out to the masses.
The Emergency Healthcare sector needs immediate allocation of funds so that every part of the country can have access to quality healthcare and sections of the society are not ignored. While the Government has taken steps like the introduction of bike ambulances, boat ambulances, and mobile medical units which have been helpful in providing aid to the people living in rural areas. However, these efforts have been taken at a state level and not from the centre.
In order to improve the quality of healthcare and make it more affordable. For example, introduction of Artificial Intelligence facilitating and predictive analytics for patient monitoring will add to significant financial savings and will increase the reach of healthcare in the country.
High customs duties, lack of incentives for R&D in medical device sector and high minimum alternate tax need to be addressed first. We feel the customs duties should be brought down to maximum of 2.5 percent, similar to many other countries.
There is a focus on strengthening prehospital trauma care, by investing in more accident trauma centres and rescue teams across India. A vehicular accident is reported every 2 minutes and a death every 8 minutes on Indian roads. Given that India accounts for one-fifth of global deaths due to road accidents, it’s pertinent that we address the issue.
I would like the policy makers to consider the GST rates on Insurance policies. Our penetration continues to be extremely low and with a price sensitive market like India, 18% is significant addition to the cost.