80% of Indians with disabilities lack health insurance, warns NCPEDP

A new NCPEDP white paper reveals that most persons with disabilities in India remain uninsured, face high rejection rates and encounter discriminatory practices across public and private schemes

A new white paper from the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) found that nearly 80 per cent of persons with disabilities have no health insurance coverage and more than half of applicants face rejection — often without any stated reason.

 

The report, titled Inclusive Health Coverage for All: Disability, Discrimination and Health Insurance in India, was released on Thursday at a national roundtable attended by policymakers, industry leaders and civil society groups.

 

Drawing on a nationwide survey conducted between 2023 and 2025 across 34 states and UTs, covering more than 5,000 individuals with disabilities, alongside case studies and policy reviews, the white paper highlights entrenched discriminatory practices across both public and private insurance schemes.

 

What does the survey reveal about insurance access for persons with disabilities?

 

According to the findings, 53 per cent of persons with disabilities who applied for health insurance were denied coverage, with particularly high rejection rates among individuals with autism, psychosocial disabilities, intellectual disabilities and blood disorders such as thalassemia.

 

Many applicants were rejected solely on the basis of their disability or pre-existing conditions, despite constitutional protections, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016), and multiple directives from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

 

Why does NCPEDP say the issue demands immediate policy attention?

 

“This white paper comes at a crucial moment,” said Arman Ali, executive director of NCPEDP. “Even as the government expands Ayushman Bharat to senior citizens aged 70 and above, persons with disabilities remain conspicuously excluded despite equal or greater health vulnerabilities. This is not just a policy oversight — it is a violation of rights.”

 

What reforms does the white paper recommend?

 

The report calls for urgent reforms, including automatic inclusion of all persons with disabilities under Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY), enhanced coverage for mental health and assistive technologies, creation of a Disability Inclusion Committee within IRDAI, standardised premiums across private insurers and mandatory accessibility in insurance processes. It also urges a national shift from charity-based approaches to rights-based, inclusive healthcare.

 

NCPEDP said it will continue its campaign for equitable insurance access and called on policymakers, regulators and the media to drive the conversation forward.