Govt may bring health claims portal under FinMin to tackle inflated costs

The move is aimed at strengthening oversight of the portal and improving transparency in pricing and billing practices across the health insurance sector, Reuters reported

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The Union government is looking to bring the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) — the digital platform used to process health insurance claims — under the control of the finance ministry and the insurance regulator in a bid to curb inflated treatment costs by private hospitals, Reuters reported, citing government sources.

 

The move is aimed at strengthening oversight of the portal, which currently operates under the National Health Authority (NHA) of the ministry of health and family welfare, and improving transparency in pricing and billing practices across the health insurance sector, the report added.

 

Overcharging in hospitals, increased premiums 

According to the report, a joint analysis by the government and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) found that hospitals were overcharging patients with higher insurance coverage, leading to increased premiums and reduced affordability of health insurance for many.

 

Recent data from the General Insurance Council show that standalone health insurers collected ₹9,151 crore in premiums in the first quarter of the financial year 2026, marking a 10 per cent year-on-year increase.

 

Bringing the portal under financial regulation could help control spiralling costs, a source told Reuters.

 

The NHCX was developed in consultation with Irdai but is not currently regulated by it. Instead, the insurance regulator only oversees insurers using the platform.

 

According to professional service firm Aon’s Global Medical Trend Rates Report 2025, healthcare costs in India are projected to increase by 13 per cent in 2025, surpassing the global average of 10 per cent and exceeding the 12 per cent increase in 2024.

 

Meanwhile, growth in health insurance premium income has slowed to 9 per cent in 2024–25 from over 20 per cent the previous year, with insurers attributing the dip to rising premiums and falling renewals, the Reuters report said.