The government is likely to announce a 'universal health scheme' in the Union Budget on February 1. This scheme, said sources, will cover individuals across income groups. Currently, the government-sponsored Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) scheme covers those below the poverty line and offers coverage of up to Rs 30,000. “This scheme will provide coverage not only to those families living below the poverty line, but also to the general masses. Since the country already has schemes for term insurance and personal accident accessible across income groups, this could be the next addition to it,” an official close to the development said. While the Indian healthcare market is estimated at USD 70 billion (according to data from ICICI Lombard General Insurance), about 70 percent of healthcare infrastructure is confined to the top 20 cities.
