Now Reading: Private healthcare costs more in rural Kozhikode, study finds
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Private healthcare costs more in rural Kozhikode, study finds
A study of 700 rural households in Kozhikode found that private facilities were preferred for outpatient and inpatient care, despite higher out-of-pocket costs. Among 2,371 people surveyed, 174 per 1,000 needed outpatient…
The Story in Brief
A study of 700 rural households in Kozhikode found that private facilities were preferred for outpatient and inpatient care, despite higher out-of-pocket costs. Among 2,371 people surveyed, 174 per 1,000 needed outpatient treatment within 15 days, while 19 per 1,000 required hospitalisation over a year.
Private facilities handled 53.4% of outpatient cases and 77% of hospital admissions. Median outpatient costs were Rs 145 in public facilities and Rs 700 in private ones. For inpatient care, the figures were Rs 600 and Rs 5,050. Although 74.6% of households had health insurance, insured patients still faced substantial costs. The authors cautioned that low hospitalisation could reflect people delaying care because of expense.
The Indian Opinion
The study challenges both easy claims that private care is always better and that insurance removes financial strain. Rural patients may value shorter waits or perceived quality, but the cost gap is stark, especially for hospital care. Nor does private preference prove public services have failed, since the survey covered one panchayat and reported only 44 inpatient episodes. The useful test is whether future studies across Kerala show lower admission delays and out-of-pocket spending, not simply higher insurance coverage.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
