Health is an afterthought for working India: Plum’s Health Report of Corporate India 2023

Bengaluru, November 22, 2023: Plum, India’s leading insurtech company providing employee group health insurance and business insurance solutions to over 3500 corporates in India, has launched “Health Report of Corporate India 2023” This comprehensive study sheds light on the current state of healthcare among the working population in India and highlights some alarming trends.

With the employment landscape in India estimated to encompass over 522 million individuals in the fiscal year 2022, and projected to grow to 569 million by 2030, the report reveals that access to quality healthcare for these employees remains severely restricted, with just 15% receiving any form of support (in the form of health insurance)  from their employers, as indicated by a Niti Aayog report. The burden of healthcare expenses is taking a significant toll on working Indians, with more than 90 million individuals living in households where healthcare costs represent over 10% of their total expenditure. As per Plum’s data, only 12% companies provide telehealth support to their employees.

The report also highlights the following key findings:

• Neglecting Preventive Care: A staggering 59%* of employees admit to not undergoing an annual health checkup, while a disconcerting 90% do not regularly visit doctors to monitor their health. This neglect of preventive healthcare measures has long-term implications for both individual well-being and overall health.
• Soaring Medical Inflation: India’s medical inflation rate stands as one of the highest in Asia at 14%. This inflationary pressure on healthcare costs has resulted in 71% of employees bearing the brunt of healthcare expenses from their own pockets, affecting their financial stability.
• Leveraging Telehealth for Sensitive Needs: In response to these healthcare challenges, employees are increasingly turning to telehealth services to address sensitive healthcare issues. Key findings include**:
  • 26% of consultations are for general physician services.
  • 19% of consultations are related to mental wellness, addressing concerns such as anxiety, stress, and relationship issues.
  • 18% of consultations are for dermatological issues, including acne, hair fall, and dandruff.
  • 6% of consultations involve nutritionists, primarily focusing on weight loss and diet planning.

“Long and sedentary work hours have led to the early onset of lifestyle conditions. That coupled with bad posture, can expedite back-related issues in the workplace. We also have been observing the early onset of diabetes and BP these days (down to 30s instead of 50s). Employees have to take care of their health early on,” says Dr. Ruby Taparia, an internal medicine specialist based out of Hyderabad and a consultant on Plum Telehealth.

Saurabh Arora, Co-founder and CTO, Plum, said, “An average person spends 90,000 hours working. That’s almost a third of their life. Employee health should be a top priority for organisations, not only from a humanitarian perspective but also as a strategic investment in their workforce. Hence just health insurance is not enough – companies should adopt comprehensive healthcare benefits that accommodate insurance, primary, and preventive care.”

Plum is on a mission to accelerate the adoption of health insurance in India by making employee health insurance accessible, affordable and usable for employees. In addition, Plum has two business lines Employee Health Benefits and Plum Business that aim to secure the health and wellness of employees and companies alongside.

Data sources:* Plum surveyed 700+ employees ** Plum’s telehealth data of over 30,000 consults over a period of six months*** Plum’s State of Employee Benefits 2022