10 Facts About Prescription Drug Prices India

9. Affordability, out-of-pocket spending, and insurance

Many Indian households still meet most medicine costs out of pocket, which makes drug prices a daily concern for affordability. While public schemes and insurance coverages are expanding, they do not yet eliminate direct spending on medicines for all patients. For chronic conditions especially, long-term drug costs add up and influence treatment adherence. Government programs and state procurement for public hospitals can reduce costs for covered patients, but gaps remain in private-market coverage. Practical steps people can take include asking for generics, comparing prices across nearby pharmacies, and checking government supply outlets that offer subsidized medicines. These small actions can result in meaningful savings for families managing routine prescriptions.