In a survey conducted by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, it was revealed that women in India were more likely to undergo hysterectomy when a state-provided health insurance program reimbursed the fee for service arrangements in a private hospital. The data from the survey showed a positive association between the rate of hysterectomy and accessibility to cashless state health insurance, especially in states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Rajiv Arogyasri Health Insurance program, launched by the Andhra Pradesh state government, provides generous cashless coverage to 19.2 million below-poverty-line households. The research revealed that women eligible for Arogyasri Health Insurance were 2.8% more likely to undergo the surgical procedure than women outside the program. It also showed that the number of eligible women undergoing hysterectomy was significantly higher in private hospitals in comparison to public hospitals.

An analysis conducted by the National Family Health Survey in 2016 showed that the rate of hysterectomies in India has increased from 1.7 to 3.2 surgeries for every 100 women who have ever been married. Though the rate of prevalence was relatively low, the average number of women undergoing hysterectomy in India is much lower in comparison to several other high-income countries.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/diagnostics/hysterectomies-in-younger-indian-women-are-influenced-by-insurance-subsidies/94241707 )