Ayushman Bharat Study Examines Impact of Public Health Insurance on Care Utilization

Ayushman Bharat is highlighted in a new Springer Nature study published in the Journal of Quantitative Economics that asks whether publicly funded health insurance schemes in India have raised health‑care utilization rates.

Study authors used national survey data and hospital records from several states to compare service use before and after scheme rollout, focusing on outpatient visits, inpatient admissions, and preventive screenings.

Findings show modest increases in outpatient visits, especially among low‑income households, but limited change in inpatient admissions, suggesting that insurance coverage alone may not fully address barriers such as facility shortages and awareness gaps.

Implications for the PM‑Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission include prioritizing significant upgrades to rural hospitals, allocating additional funding, and launching targeted outreach, nationally as policymakers aim to translate insurance benefits into measurable health‑service improvements.