Most Indians With Disabilities Have No Health Insurance; Half Face Rejections Without Explanation: Report

A new white paper reveals that over 80% of Indians with disabilities lack health insurance. Based on a survey of 5,000 people, the report by NCPEDP found that 53% of applicants are denied coverage, often without reason.

A new white paper has revealed a stark reality: more than 80% of Indians with disabilities have no health insurance, and over half of those who try to get covered are denied without any explanation, despite multiple laws that mandate equal access.

The report, "Inclusive Health Coverage for All: Disability, Discrimination and Health Insurance in India", was released on Thursday by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) at a roundtable attended by government officials, insurance companies, and disability rights advocates.

Survey of 5,000 People Shows Widespread Discrimination

Based on responses from over 5,000 persons with disabilities across 34 states and UTs, the study warns that "deep systemic inequities" continue to keep nearly 16 crore disabled Indians locked out of both public and private insurance schemes.

According to the findings:

• 80% had no health insurance at all
• 53% of applicants said their insurance request was rejected
• High denial rates were reported among people with autism, psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, and blood disorders such as thalassemia

Many respondents said they were rejected solely because of their disability or existing conditions, a practice that continues despite constitutional protections, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and repeated directives from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

Cost, Tech Barriers and Poor Awareness Add to the Problem

Researchers also highlighted several practical hurdles: prohibitively high premiums, inaccessible online platforms, and a lack of awareness about available government schemes. Combined, these obstacles shut out millions from even attempting to apply.

Government Calls for Stronger Coordination Across Ministries

Speaking at the launch, Manmeet Nanda, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, acknowledged the gaps and called for much stronger inter-ministerial coordination.

"IRDAI's role, along with the Ministry of Health and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, needs to be very strongly converged because this is not a single ministry's game," she said.

Nanda suggested mandating insurers to meet annual disability coverage targets, monitored through digital dashboards. She also proposed integrating the Unique Disability ID (UDID) database to help track rejections and improve access.

'A Moral and Constitutional Challenge': NCPEDP

NCPEDP Executive Director Arman Ali did not mince words, calling the report a wake-up call for policymakers.

"The continued exclusion of persons with disabilities from affordable insurance is more than a systemic failure; it is a violation of rights," he said.

Ali questioned why persons with disabilities remain excluded from major schemes even as the government expands Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) to cover all senior citizens aged 70 and above.

"There is no principled or policy justification for this gap… India cannot be burdened with the generational ‘cost of exclusion' of people with disabilities," he added.

Key Recommendations: Universal Inclusion Under Ayushman Bharat

The white paper lays out a series of strong recommendations, including:

• Immediate inclusion of all persons with disabilities under Ayushman Bharat, without age or income restrictions
• Better coverage for mental health, rehabilitation, and assistive technologies
• Creation of a dedicated Disability Inclusion Committee within IRDAI
• Standardised, non-discriminatory premiums across the private sector
• Mandatory accessibility features in all stages of the insurance process
• Large-scale training and awareness programmes to ensure disability-sensitive services