A recent nationwide assessment by the Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of India (OSSI) indicates that major gaps in insurance coverage continue to hinder timely access to bariatric and metabolic surgery, even as India confronts a steep surge in obesity rates. The survey, led by a senior bariatric and metabolic surgeon affiliated with a Mumbai-based tertiary care institution, points out that although the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) mandated coverage for bariatric and metabolic procedures in 2019 for patients meeting clinical criteria, the policy is still unevenly implemented across insurance providers.
Obesity Escalating Across India Projections show that India’s obesity prevalence could triple by 2040, affecting individuals across all age groups. Medical experts increasingly emphasize that obesity is a chronic, progressive disease rather than a…
