All companies will have to provide health insurance, and voting rights of foreigners will be limited to 26 per cent, the current investment cap.
The government is working on a three-pronged strategy to make health care affordable.
First, ensuring availability of products by making it mandatory for all companies to provide standalone health insurance.
Second, it will encourage people to go for health insurance by offering tax sops in the Budget.
The exemption limit for self, spouse and dependent children might be raised from Rs 15,000 a year.
The limits for additional deduction of Rs 15,000 (if parents are dependent) and Rs 20,000 (if the individual or one of the parents is a senior citizen), could also go up.
Third, the finance ministry will work out a mechanism in consultation with the health ministry to ensure patients are not overcharged by private hospitals.
“While allowing up to 49 per cent FDI, we will ask companies to compulsorily offer health insurance.
"They are willing to do that. Second, we are contemplating higher tax exemption on health insurance.
"More products and players should be in the market. Third, there should be some regulation of charges levied by private hospitals,” said a ministry official, asking not to be named.
The decision to include mandatory health cover in the foreign direct investment policy for insurance was taken after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked the department of financial services to give it a push because of the rising cost of private health care.
Jaitley also wanted control of insurance companies to remain in Indian hands.
Accordingly, the 26 per cent cap on voting rights could be imposed.
The policy will keep the capital requirement for health insurers at Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million), against Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) for others.
Also, as the government wants to open the sector gradually, it might first allow higher foreign investment in health and general insurance.
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