Affordable and Lifelong Health Insurance & Separate Cancer Treatment Protection for the Middle Class

To
The Hon’ble Finance Minister of India,
Government of India, New Delhi

Subject: Request for Affordable and Lifelong Health Insurance & Separate Cancer Treatment Protection for the Middle Class

Respected Madam,

I write this letter with a heavy heart on behalf of India’s middle-class families. Today, two things have become the greatest fear in every household:

1. A sudden hospital admission and its unbearable bills, and
2. The crushing financial burden of cancer treatment, which can last for years.

For an ordinary middle-class family, one serious illness can wipe out the savings of an entire lifetime. Children’s education plans collapse, small retirement savings vanish, and the family is pushed into debt — only because of medical bills.

We are grateful for Ayushman Bharat, which has given security to the poorest of the poor. But the middle class — the very backbone of this country, the section that pays taxes honestly, abides by rules, and rarely asks for subsidies — stands outside its umbrella. This is deeply painful. The very families that contribute silently and steadily to the nation’s progress are left with no protection in their moment of greatest need.

The true helplessness begins after the age of 60. At that stage of life, income stops, but illnesses increase. A retired father or mother lives on a small pension or fixed deposits. Yet, their mediclaim premium keeps climbing higher every year. Some premiums touch ₹70,000–₹1,00,000 annually. Madam, how can a retired teacher earning a pension of ₹25,000 a month pay ₹80,000 a year just to keep the insurance alive? Is it fair that a person who has served society for decades should be forced to discontinue his policy when he needs it most?

Even more heartbreaking is the story of cancer patients in middle-class families. Cancer treatment in India often costs ₹35–50 lakh or more over a few years — chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, medicines, and follow-ups. I have seen families sell their only house, or borrow heavily, just to keep a parent alive for a few more months. Some discontinue treatment midway simply because they cannot afford the next cycle of medicines. This is not just a financial issue — it is a human tragedy. No family should be destroyed financially in the fight for life.

Therefore, I humbly request you to kindly consider the following steps in your policy framework:

1. Fixed Premium System: Health and cancer insurance should have a fixed or very mildly indexed premium, not sharp yearly increases.

2. Lifelong Protection: Coverage must extend up to 100 years, without forcing families to drop out in old age.

3. Post-Retirement Relief: After 60, premiums should be capped or subsidized, so that senior citizens are not punished for growing old.

4. Dedicated Cancer Security: Cancer treatment, medicines, and follow-up care must be fully covered under a separate affordable Cancer Insurance Scheme for the middle class.

5. Middle-Class Health Mission: Just as Ayushman Bharat protects the poor, a parallel mission for the middle class is urgently needed.

Respected Madam, the middle class does not ask for free benefits. It asks only for fairness, stability, and dignity. We have always supported the nation — in taxes, in compliance, in silent sacrifice. Now, in our old age, we request the nation’s support in return.

I sincerely hope that under your leadership, this long-standing pain of crores of honest, hardworking families will find relief.

With deepest respect and hope,

Yours faithfully,
Dr. Ravikiran Patwardhan.
Sirsi 581401.
08384225836.