Rising medical expenses and costly diagnostic procedures are placing a heavy financial burden on patients and their families across Chhattisgarh, with many slipping into debt to afford treatment. Despite multiple government-backed health insurance schemes, hospital bills, particularly in private facilities, continue to cause significant financial stress. According to the latest ‘Household Social Consumption: Health: 2025’ report released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Chhattisgarh ranks tenth in the country in terms of average cost per hospitalisation. In urban areas of State, the average cost of a single hospitalisation stands at Rs 49,050, higher than the national average of Rs 46,774. The report highlights that people are still incurring substantial out-of-pocket expenditure, especially when availing services in private hospitals. Among states, Jharkhand tops the list with an average hospitalisation cost of Rs 59,455, followed by Uttar Pradesh at Rs 56,537 and Maharashtra at Rs 55,697. In Chhattisgarh, the average cost in rural areas is estimated at Rs 23,710, bringing the overall average (rural and urban combined) to Rs 35,402. Another set of estimates in the report indicates that patients spend around Rs 22,903 per hospitalisation in rural areas and Rs 37,205 in urban areas, with an overall average of Rs 30,128.

 

The findings reveal that nearly 79% of healthcare expenses are borne directly by patients and their families. Non-medical expenses, including travel and accommodation, average around Rs 2,190 per hospitalisation. The data is based on analysis of hospital bills from 18 major districts in State. Dr Prashant Kumar Shrivastava, Vice President of the Indian Medical Association (Chhattisgarh chapter), said private insurance penetration remains low in State. “Most coverage is through government schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and state initiatives. However, patients opting for private hospitals inevitably face higher costs,” he noted. The report also indicates that hospitalisation rates in Chhattisgarh are higher than the national average. In 2025, there were 34 hospitalisations per 1,000 people in the state, compared to the national average of 29 per 1,000. Among these, 38 per 1,000 were men and 30 per 1,000 were women. Urban areas recorded a higher rate (39 per 1,000) than rural areas (29 per 1,000). Dr K C Jain, a senior doctor and health activist, attributed the trend to gaps in public healthcare infrastructure. (Contd on page 6)