International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

E-ISSN: 2582-2160   •   Impact Factor: 9.24

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Medical Inflation and its Impact on Access to Healthcare in India: A Socio-Legal Analysis

Author(s) Ms. ANISHA BANO, Mr. Rahul D Chouhan
Country India
Abstract Medical inflation, broadly defined as the annual rise in the cost of healthcare goods and services, has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges within India's healthcare landscape. Unlike general inflation, medical inflation often escalates at a significantly higher rate, driven by an increasingly privatized healthcare sector, rising pharmaceutical costs, advanced diagnostic technologies, and regulatory inadequacies. This relentless surge in medical expenses has critical implications on the accessibility, affordability, and equity of healthcare, particularly for economically and socially marginalized populations. India’s constitutional framework, while not expressly recognizing the Right to Health as a fundamental right, has seen judicial expansion of Article 21 of the Constitution to include the Right to Health and medical care as essential to the right to life and human dignity. Despite this judicial recognition, legislative and policy frameworks have not kept pace with the economic realities of rising medical costs. Public healthcare infrastructure remains underfunded and underutilized, while private sector dominance and insufficient regulation have left patients vulnerable to exploitative pricing and inequitable service delivery. This research article undertakes a socio-legal analysis of medical inflation in India by exploring its root causes, economic consequences, and legal ramifications. It critically evaluates constitutional directives, judicial precedents, and public policy initiatives aimed at mitigating the adverse impact of medical inflation. The paper further draws comparative insights from global models such as Thailand’s Universal Coverage Scheme and Brazil’s Unified Health System to identify feasible strategies for India.
Through this multidisciplinary approach, the article argues for the urgent need to codify the Right to Health as a fundamental and enforceable legal right, supported by robust regulatory mechanisms and inclusive health financing systems. The study concludes with policy recommendations to promote affordable, accessible, and equitable healthcare in alignment with India’s constitutional values of justice, equality, and human dignity.
Keywords Medical Inflation, Right to Health, Article 21, Healthcare Costs, Socio-Legal Analysis, Access to Healthcare, Indian Constitution, Health Policy, Judicial Interpretation, Healthcare Inequality, Public Health Law, Universal Health Coverage, Health Justice, Health Rights, Healthcare Financing.
Field Sociology > Administration / Law / Management
Published In Volume 7, Issue 3, May-June 2025
Published On 2025-05-13
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E-ISSN 2582-2160
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