80% Indians with disabilities lack health insurance: Survey

As many as 80 per cent of persons with disabilities in India have no health insurance, and 53 per cent of those who apply face rejection, often without any explanation, according to a nationwide survey by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP).

The survey conducted over a period of one-and-a-half years between 2023 and 2025 covered over 5,000 persons with disabilities across 34 states and UTs.

In its report titled ‘Inclusive Health Coverage for All: Disability, Discrimination and Health Insurance in India’, the NCPEDP states that persons with disabilities continue to encounter discriminatory underwriting practices, unaffordable premiums, inaccessible digital insurance platforms and a widespread lack of awareness about available schemes.

The report f