Annual hospitalization costs: Kerala households spend more than twice the national average | India News – Times of India

Health experts say the higher hospitalization costs for Keralites are mainly due to changing demographics and disease patterns, with a large section of the population diagnosed with lifestyle diseases at a young age. Kerala’s elderly population is rapidly increasing and there is a preference for treatment in private hospitals over government facilities. Furthermore, less than 15% of the population has health insurance.
The average out-of-pocket expenditure on hospital treatment in Kerala has been high compared to other states over the past two decades, says health economist Arun Nair. “Not only inpatient care, but also outpatient care, especially the consumption of medicines, diagnostic tests and laboratory tests, are also reasons for higher out-of-pocket expenses. However, in the last few years there has been a marked shift in the extent to which people have access to healthcare. system as a result of various government reform programs for the healthcare system,” he said.
Because hospitalization costs pose a significant burden on families, experts suggest that expenditure can be reduced by increasing public investment in primary health care, focusing on awareness and prevention of non-communicable diseases and improving infrastructure and manpower in secondary and tertiary care services in the public sector. , in addition to effectively regulating private sector profiteering.
Dr. Padmanabha Shenoy, a clinical immunologist and rheumatologist, pointed out that although the cost of hospital treatment in Kerala is lower compared to the metropolises in India, the annual hospital expenditure is very high due to high life expectancy and early diagnosis of lifestyle diseases, which cause long-term makes treatment necessary. treatment. “Improved literacy leads to greater awareness, which in turn leads to care-seeking behavior,” he added.