Public health system has limitation in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that private sector can help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives do you suggest?
Question source: clearias.com
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Editorial: Supreme Court flags ten-fold drug markups, exposing gaps in price control · 1 October 2026 · Covers one part · use it in the body
Use it to show that private provision of medicines needs regulation before it can help universal coverage, and to suggest pricing and generic alternatives.
- The Bench asked the Centre to examine hospitals that make patients buy from in-house pharmacies, and asked why the 16% retailer margin on scheduled drugs should not apply to all medicines.
- Price control acts on the ceiling, not the margin: a company can set a high MRP and a low PTR, giving retailers and hospitals a large cut paid out of pocket by patients.
- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought a way that 'balances equities'; data reported in August 2026 suggested very high markups sit in a small share of the market, framing the blanket versus targeted cap debate.
Also related
- Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
PM-JAY is the government-funded insurance model that buys hospital care from empanelled private and public hospitals.