Health Insurance Schemes — Policy Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, 2015	2015	This Act amended the Insurance Act, 1938, and the IRDA Act, 1999. It increased the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector from 26% to 49% (later raised to 74% in 2021).	The amendment aimed to attract greater foreign capital and expertise into the Indian insurance sector, including health insurance. This was expected to boost insurance penetration, foster innovation, and improve service delivery by increasing competition and investment in infrastructure. It has contributed to the growth of private health insurers and the diversity of products available.
Employees' State Insurance (Amendment) Act, 2010	2010	This amendment introduced several changes to the ESIC Act, including increasing the wage ceiling for coverage, expanding the scope of medical benefits, and simplifying administrative procedures.	The amendment aimed to broaden the coverage of ESIC to more workers and enhance the quality and accessibility of medical care and other benefits. It made the scheme more inclusive and responsive to the needs of the organized sector workforce, strengthening social security provisions for workers [VY:ECO-08-03].