Promoting AYUSH through Health Insurance: A Pathway for Strengthening Indian Knowledge Systems and Sustainable Healthcare in India
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: India's AYUSH systems—Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy—represent an important component of India's traditional healthcare heritage. Their emphasis on prevention, lifestyle modification, wellness and holistic care has renewed relevance in the context of rising lifestyle-related diseases and healthcare costs. However, wider utilization of AYUSH is constrained by uneven public awareness, concerns regarding evidence and standardization, limited integration with conventional healthcare, and, particularly, restricted health-insurance support for outpatient, preventive and wellness services. This conceptual study examines how health insurance can support AYUSH and, in turn, contribute to the practical implementation of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) envisaged under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Using secondary literature, policy documents and reports, the paper develops a conceptual pathway linking government support, insurance coverage, reduced financial barriers, public acceptance and utilization of evidence-informed AYUSH services, preventive healthcare and IKS implementation. The paper argues that insurance should be viewed not only as a financial-protection mechanism but also as a policy instrument capable of influencing healthcare choices. It proposes broader coverage for eligible AYUSH outpatient consultations, day-care procedures, rehabilitation and preventive/wellness services, supported by quality standards, evidence generation, digital claims and professional collaboration. The paper does not suggest replacing allopathic medicine; rather, it advocates evidence-based complementarity in which each system contributes according to clinical suitability. Such an approach can improve affordability and choice while strengthening the practical relevance of India's traditional knowledge in contemporary healthcare.
Author: Bhoir, Vivek H.
Language: English
Subfield: Finance
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7220473723