Health insurance in China and India: segmented roles for public and private financing

Surveys suggest that over the past five to ten years, the amount of health insurance premiums collected has grown at an average rate of 34 percent in India and 43 percent in China. A variety of public and private insurance schemes play important roles in enabling health care provision for unique populations in these two countries. This paper provides an overview of the trends in health insurance as a financing mechanism for health care in China and India. It suggests a broad policy approach to aligning and mobilizing forces that would allow segmented expansion of public and private health insurance.