Andhra Pradesh 25 Lakh Health Cover

An Empty Cheque Without Hospitals

GREYZONE

9/9/20251 min read

Andhra Pradesh just announced a 25 Lakh Health Insurance Cover Per Family - the biggest health coverage for people in India. sounds historic. But, lets ask the only question that matters: where will people actually get treated.

The Harsh Reality:

  • No Hospitals, No Doctors: Rural districts don’t have the specialists or infrastructure to handle high-end surgeries. An insurance card won’t save you in a village with no ICU.

  • Urban Cash Drain: The scheme funnels taxpayer money into corporate hospitals in Hyderabad and Vizag, while district hospitals rot.

  • The Ambulance Economy: Families are pushed into 200 km ambulance rides, hoping to survive long enough to reach a private hospital that will happily swipe their insurance.

This isn’t universal healthcare—it’s universal referral to the cities.

Why It’s Dangerous

  • A political headline replaces actual health reform.

  • Public funds strengthen private empires instead of public hospitals.

  • Rural families are left with a piece of plastic instead of real care.

The Real Solution

If Andhra Pradesh wants true health security:

  1. Hospitals First, Insurance Later – Build tertiary hospitals in districts before promising mega insurance caps.

  2. Tie-Up with Accountability – Private hospitals must be forced to set up rural satellite centers if they want government contracts.

  3. Doctors Where They’re Needed – Pay specialists extra to serve in rural districts, and bond medical graduates to work outside cities.

  4. Tech as a Bridge – Telemedicine and mobile units can fill gaps until real infrastructure stands.

The Bottom Line

Right now, this “₹25 lakh per family” promise is a mirage—a flashy number that hides a hollow system. Without hospitals and doctors in rural Andhra, it’s not healthcare; it’s a political insurance scheme for votes.

Build hospitals first. Then insure. Otherwise, the ₹25 lakh dream dies on the highway in an ambulance.