The Union Budget 2025-26 holds immense potential to address long-standing gaps and pave the way for a more accessible and equitable healthcare ecosystem. Strengthening health insurance coverage under schemes like Ayushman Bharat, with an emphasis on including patient care and life-sustaining treatments such as dialysis, will be instrumental in reducing the financial burden on patients and their families.

Expanding the reach of health insurance to cover a larger segment of the population, particularly in rural and underserved regions, can help bridge disparities in care delivery. Subsidizing premiums for low-income families and incentivizing private sector participation will also ensure that critical healthcare services, including dialysis, become both affordable and accessible. Emphasis on preventive healthcare is also crucial in reducing the long-term disease burden on the healthcare system. Increased investment in public health infrastructure, workforce training, and digital health innovation is essential for improving the quality and efficiency of care.

Healthcare consumables and equipments should be included in the lowest and single tax bracket, as the healthcare industry is exempt from Goods and Services Tax (GST). This exemption prevents healthcare providers from being able to claim input credit on the taxes paid for these consumables. By placing healthcare consumables in the lowest tax bracket, it would reduce the financial burden on healthcare providers, ensuring that the cost of medical supplies remains more affordable and accessible, ultimately benefiting the healthcare sector and the patients it serves.

This year’s budget must take bold steps to prioritize the health and well-being of citizens by ensuring universal health coverage, reducing out-of-pocket expenditures, and creating a robust ecosystem for preventive and curative care.

Aditya Kandoi, Founder and CEO of Redcliffe Labs

Aditya Kandoi, Founder and CEO of Redcliffe Labs, presented his perspectives on the forthcoming Union Budget 2025. He highlighted the imperative for enhanced government investment in critical areas of healthcare and diagnostics.

He asserted, “There exists a pressing need to fortify healthcare infrastructure in Tier 2, Tier 3, and smaller towns, which collectively accommodate over 65% of the Indian population. Targeted investments in these regions, bolstered by public-private partnerships, have the potential to address significant gaps and render quality diagnostics accessible to underserved communities.”

In addition to accessibility, Aditya Kandoi emphasized the necessity of improving affordability to enhance the overall healthcare landscape across the nation. “Diagnostics serve as the foundation for timely and accurate treatment; however, high costs often hinder access. We urge the government to consider reducing the taxes on diagnostic equipment, reagents, consumables, and extending tax exemptions for day-to-day operations. Such measures could make diagnostics more affordable, encouraging individuals to prioritize preventive healthcare and mitigating the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in India, which account for over 60% of preventable deaths.”

Furthermore, he underscored the significance of innovation and technology in improving healthcare outcomes. He stated, “Increased budgetary support for research and development in fields such as genomics, AI-driven diagnostics, and digital health tools, including telemedicine, can position India as a global leader in healthcare innovation. These investments will not only enhance patient care but also promote long-term sustainability within the sector.”

By addressing the interrelated aspects of accessibility, affordability, and innovation, Aditya Kandoi expressed optimism that the Union Budget 2025 may pave the way for addressing the existing loopholes and the promotion of a healthier India.

Dr. Harsh Mahajan Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging & Labs

As we approach the 2025 budget, it’s essential to make targeted investments that will reshape the future of healthcare and diagnostics. To build a resilient and forward-thinking health system, we must prioritize technology integration, workforce development, and a strong focus on preventive care. The lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic have made it clear that digital health solutions are no longer optional—they are vital. Now is the time to invest in advanced diagnostic technologies and research. A critical area for reform is the high GST on medical equipment, which drives up costs and limits access to essential care. Reducing or exempting GST on medical devices will make cutting-edge technology more affordable for healthcare providers and ensure patients receive timely, quality care.

Moreover, offering tax incentives or rebates for companies investing in innovation will accelerate the development of life-saving technologies, enabling faster integration into the healthcare system. Alongside this, government-backed grants and public health campaigns can help shift the focus towards preventive care, ultimately lowering the long-term burden on the healthcare system. By strategically addressing these key areas, we can create an efficient, accessible, and sustainable healthcare ecosystem that improves health outcomes and reduces costs for everyone.”

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The report, titled ‘India Cyber Threat Report 2025’, also reveals that the healthcare industry experienced an average of 37.29 detections per endpoint, the highest among all sectors analyzed. This vulnerability is attributed to several factors, including the sensitive nature of medical data, outdated systems, and the rapid digitization of healthcare services such as electronic health records and telemedicine platforms. These elements have made healthcare organizations attractive targets for sophisticated cybercriminals.

Malware detections in the healthcare sector were dominated by Trojans, which accounted for 43.38% of all threats. Infectors followed at 34.23%, while worms constituted 8.43%. These malicious programs often exploit vulnerabilities in legacy systems or use phishing tactics to gain unauthorized access to networks. The report also noted that ransomware, though comprising a smaller percentage of detections at 0.30%, remains a significant threat due to its potential to disrupt critical healthcare operations.

Geographically, Telangana recorded the highest detection rate in India with 55.90 detections per endpoint, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi. The report also highlights the vulnerability of major urban centers, with Surat leading at 69.34 detections per endpoint, followed by Bengaluru and Jaipur. The prominence of these regions reflects their advanced digital infrastructure and high concentration of technology-driven industries, which inadvertently increases their exposure to cyber risks.

Emerging threats targeting the healthcare sector included Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), vulnerabilities in the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), supply chain attacks, and AI-powered attacks. These sophisticated threats exploit the increased digitization and interconnectedness of healthcare systems, posing significant risks to patient data and critical healthcare services.

To combat these evolving threats, Seqrite recommends conducting regular security audits, employee training on cybersecurity best practices, implementation of advanced threat detection systems, and collaboration with cybersecurity firms. The findings of the ‘India Cyber Threat Report 2025’ underscore the critical need for the healthcare industry to prioritize cybersecurity investments and strengthen defenses against the growing tide of cyberattacks.

The implications of these findings extend beyond the healthcare sector, highlighting the need for a comprehensive, nationwide approach to cybersecurity. As India continues its digital transformation, protecting critical infrastructure, including healthcare systems, becomes paramount for national security and public health. The joint report prepared by Seqrite and DSCI serves as a wake-up call for healthcare providers and policymakers to bolster their defenses and adapt to the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.

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The prior authorization process has long been regarded as one of the most burdensome aspects of healthcare. Manual maintenance of authorization rules, disparate systems, and subjective decision-making results in high costs, inconsistent outcomes, reduced satisfaction levels, and limited scalability. ARC serves as a centralized rules engine, providing a connected, single source of truth for authorization rules. This powerful solution empowers subject matter experts to directly author and maintain rules, while also offering intelligent tools and guidance to ensure flawless execution. By connecting with any system that requires reference authorization rules, ARC provides real-time answers through APIs, eliminating the need for manual intervention and enhancing efficiency.

With ARC, healthcare organizations can easily address three key questions regarding authorizations: Does a service require authorization? Can a service be auto-authorized? What clinical criteria should be used to review a service? By centralizing authorization rules and putting maintenance in the hands of business experts, ARC revolutionizes the process, reducing high-cost manual touches, improving decision accuracy, and increasing satisfaction levels among providers, members, and internal staff.

Leona Rickerson, Vice President, Healthcare Solutions at Coforge, said, “We are excited to bring our domain and automation expertise to the prior authorization process with the launch of ARC. ARC delivers a manageable, connected, single source of truth for authorization rules that empower teams for success. Reducing prior authorization friction will pave the way for positive transformation in the healthcare industry.”

Madan Mohan, Executive Vice President at Coforge, added, “Pega is a preferred automation tool for the healthcare industry and at Coforge, we have a large pool of Pega-certified architects to address the industry’s automation needs.” He added, “At the recently concluded, PegaWorld iNspire 2023, the team showcased ARC, and it generated significant interest from the healthcare community. The ARC solution is also hosted on the Pega Marketplace.”

Know more about Coforge ARC- https://www.coforge.com/services/digital-process-automation/pega/authorization-rules-center-arc

 About Coforge

Coforge is a global digital services and solutions provider, that leverages emerging technologies and deep domain expertise to deliver real-world business impact for its clients. A focus on very select industries, a detailed understanding of the underlying processes of those industries, and partnerships with leading platforms provide us a distinct perspective. Coforge leads with its product engineering approach and leverages Cloud, Data, Integration and Automation technologies to transform client businesses into intelligent, high growth enterprises. Coforge’s proprietary platforms power critical business processes across its core verticals. The firm has a presence in 21 countries with 26 delivery centers across nine countries.

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