Financial Burden of Ageing and Health in Haryana

This book offers a rigorous empirical examination of out-of-pocket health expenditure (OOPHE) among the elderly in Haryana, India, based on primary data collected during 2020-21 through a multi-stage stratified survey across eight districts. Situated within the broader frameworks of ageing, health economics, and social protection, it analyses the socio-economic determinants, expenditure patterns, and financial consequences of healthcare spending in later life. The study explores how income, gender, disease burden, and insurance coverage interact to influence access, affordability, and financial risk.The book assesses the incidence and intensity of catastrophic health expenditure, breaks down medical and non-medical costs, and documents coping strategies such as borrowing and asset sales. It also evaluates the protective role of health insurance in reducing economic vulnerability and proposes policy measures to strengthen elderly health security. By filling an important gap in North Indian evidence, particularly in Haryana, the study contributes to debates on universal health coverage, ageing policy, and equitable health financing.