Parliament Question: Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Cancer and Cardiac Treatment

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2152 TOBE ANSWERED ON31st JULY, 2026 OUT-OF-POCKETEXPENDITURE ON CANCER AND CARDIACTREATMENT 2152.SHRIMOHIBBULLAH: SHRIPUSHPENDRASAROJ: ADVPRIYASAROJ: SHRIANAND BHADAURIA: Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of out-of-pocket expenditure on cancer and cardiactreatment, particularlyon low-income andrural households, if so, the details thereof; (b) the measures taken by the Government to improve the affordability and availability of essential medicinesandconsumablesfor cancer andcardiaccare underCentral Government programmes; (c) the details of the Government's assessment regarding the contribution of medicines, consumablesanddiagnostics toout-of-pocket expenditure onsuch treatment; (d) the mechanism in place to monitor compliance with pricing and procurement guidelines for medicinesandconsumablesunder Central healthschemes; and (e) the steps taken/proposed tobe taken by the Government toreduce the financialburdenof cancer andcardiactreatment onpatients? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) a) As per the National HealthAccount Estimates, the share of Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure(OOPE) inTotal Health Expenditure(THE) hassignificantlydecreased from 62.6% in2014-15 to 39.4% in2021-22. b) to (d) To improve the affordability and availability of essential medicines, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), quality generic medicines, including medicines used in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, are made available at affordable prices through Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country. Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacies improve access to affordable cancer medicines, stents, and implants, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and supporting long-term treatmentadherence.Under National HealthMission (NHM), National FreeDrugs Initiative and Free Diagnostic Services ensure essential medicines and diagnostics at public health facilities, reducing out-of-pocket expenses. Anti-cancer drugs are included in the Essential Drugs List atDistrict Hospitals underNational Programme for PreventionandControl of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCDs). The prices of essential medicines are regulated by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of scheduled formulations included in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and retail prices of new drugs. As on 31.12.2025, ceiling prices of 131 anti-cancer scheduled formulations are underprice control, resulting inan average reduction of around 21% in ceiling prices and estimated annual savings of about ₹294 crore to patients. NPPA has also fixed 54 retail prices in the anti-cancer therapeutic category, comprising 31 anti-cancer drugs, 22anti-neoplastic drugs and1 immuno-suppressive drug. (e) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken following steps to reduces the financial burdenof cancerandcardiac treatmentonpatients:-  National Health Mission (NHM) provides financial and technical assistance to States and Union Territorieswith a focuson strengthening infrastructure, humanresources, earlydiagnosis, referrals, treatment, and awareness for NCD prevention. Under the programme, 770 District NCD Clinics, 233 Cardiac Care Units, 524 Day Care Cancer Centres(DCCCs), and6,410 NCD clinicsat Community HealthCentreshave beenset up.  Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), population-based screening for common Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is undertaken for all individuals aged 30years and abovefor diabetes, hypertension and the three common cancers (oral, breast and cervical) as part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs andotherpublic healthfacilities.  19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Cancer Care Centers (TCCCs) have been set upindifferent partsof the countrytoprovide advancedhealthcare.  The National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Jhajjar, with 1,460 patient care beds and advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities and the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata, with 460 beds have been set up by the Government to provide super- specialtycare.  Treatment of NCDs is also available under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY). This scheme provides for ₹5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiarycare,benefiting 55crore people.  One-time financial assistance upto ₹15 lakh is provided under the Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) for treatment of poor patients living below poverty lines and suffering from cancer. *****