India's medical tourism boom has opened a new debate about how the private healthcare sector should contribute to domestic access. A Parliamentary standing committee has proposed that large corporate hospital groups that benefit from government policies and incentives, including the 100% foreign direct investment route, should direct a portion of the income earned from international and affluent patients toward subsidized treatment for economically disadvantaged Indians. The recommendation forms part of a broader report on healthcare affordability and accessibility submitted by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare.

The panel's argument is that public policy support that helps private hospitals build advanced infrastructure should also translate into greater access for patients who cannot afford treatment in those facilities. India has…