September 4, 2025

As people grow older, they often face multiple health problems that require regular care. In India, this becomes even more challenging because many elderly people lose income and have to depend on their families. When money is tight and health problems grow, the elderly suffer the most. The India Ageing Report 2023 by the United Nations Population Fund India along with the International Institute for Population Sciences reveals a harsh reality: healthcare costs drain savings and cause debts, forcing many seniors to borrow or depend on relatives. The report lists the top health problems seniors visit doctors for: fever of unknown origin, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing issues, heart troubles, eye problems, stomach infections, and injuries. Hospital stays mostly happen for fever, stomach infections, heart and breathing problems, surgeries, diabetes complications, and strokes. To help, both central and state governments offer health insurance schemes. Since late 2024, the central government expanded Ayushman Bharat - PM-JAY to cover all seniors above 70 years, ignoring income limits. States like Tamil Nadu also offer their own schemes, such as the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS). However, many elderly people remain unaware or find these schemes expensive and hard to access. The report found that only about 20.4% of people aged 60-69 have insurance. Men have more coverage (19.7%) than women (16.9%). Married and currently working elderly are likelier to be insured. Sadly, many elders in rural areas do not even know about insurance, leading to low coverage. Doctors explain why healthcare costs skyrocket for the elderly. Dr. S. Deepa from Chennai says, "Chronic non-communicable diseases are common in older people. They need lifelong treatment. When financial constraints arise, drug compliance becomes poor; patients stop taking their medications and the disease progresses and complications arise." Dr. G. S. Shanthi of Kauvery Hospital adds that recovery takes longer with age, especially when there are multiple diseases. Sometimes patients must stay longer in intensive care, using ventilators, which raises bills. Some even ask to leave hospitals early due to money worries. Prof. Prasad Mathews from Christian Medical College highlights how, during COVID-19, they saved lives by treating very sick elderly patients in regular wards using non-invasive ventilation. Out of 200 such patients, 67% recovered and went home — a win for both health and cost-saving. Still, only about 20% of elderly patients have insurance. Treatments like strokes or cancer are especially expensive. While some elderly have group insurance from their children’s companies, owning individual policies is rare. Tamil Nadu’s CMCHIS is praised for covering many costly treatments including heart surgeries and cancer care. But gaps remain. Dr. Shanthi notes that insurance does not cover palliative care or post-hospital expenses like physiotherapy or home care. Many elderly have to spend their own money for oxygen machines or ongoing nursing care. This puts a heavy burden on families. Doctors urge people in middle age to plan ahead by saving and buying insurance early. Simplifying insurance enrollment for the elderly and raising awareness is key to better coverage. The best hope lies in improving government hospitals and public health measures like vaccinations for pneumonia and influenza among seniors to keep them healthier longer. As India’s population grows older, it’s time to spice up our care policies and serve our seniors well. Their golden years deserve golden care, free from the harsh bite of unaffordable healthcare costs!

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Tags: Elderly healthcare, India ageing, Health insurance, Healthcare costs, Geriatric care, Ayushman bharat,