A new study by Goa Institute of Management, WHO, and Gates Foundation says unified digital insurance systems can transform India’s subsidised health insurance. The study, done with Kerala Health Department, shows how integrated digital platforms improve transparency, reduce fragmentation, and boost access under health schemes like Ayushman Bharat PMJAY. Arif Raza, Associate Professor at Goa Institute of Management, said, "The study provides a one-of-its-kind comprehensive analysis of how digitally unified insurance systems can enhance transparency, reduce fragmentation, and improve access under India’s evolving subsidised health insurance setup. In addition to this, it also builds a roadmap for other countries which are in the process of modernising their health financing system." Before PMJAY, India’s multiple standalone health schemes used separate ICT platforms and processes. This caused inefficiency, weak fraud detection, and limited benefit portability. "This fragmentation also made it difficult for the government to monitor outcomes due to a lack of visibility in spending patterns and utilisation trends," the study said. The research found that a unified ICT platform is more than just technology. It connects all health stakeholders, creating a central data backbone for long-term reforms. It allows patients to access medical services across state borders and different hospital networks. Unified platforms also enable big data analytics and machine learning to detect fraud, improving trust and accountability. They reduce paperwork, speed up processes, and help policymakers monitor the system in real-time. "By demonstrating how integrating health-financing systems via unified ICT platforms can propel equity, portability and accountability, our study underscores a pivotal pathway for India — and other similar health-systems — to move beyond fragmented financing toward universal health coverage," said Mr. Raza. The study titled "Health System Reform Powered by Data Integration of Health Financing: Lessons from India" is published in the journal Health Systems and Reform.