Recent GST changes mark key shift towards making cancer care affordable: AIIMS researchers

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

67% : Therefore, increasing the tax slab for these is a welcome step, the researchers underlined.
58% : Additionally, it led to the saving of over USD 762.5 million for AB-PMJAY , which is India's universal health coverage scheme.
56% : However, they cautioned that effective implementation, timely tax refunds to manufacturers, and ongoing monitoring will be crucial to ensure these reforms translate into real-world gains for patients and the healthcare system.
55% : "Regardless, the new taxation slab on health-harming products is a step in the right direction and provides increased opportunity to redirect the generated revenue for funding cancer care in the country.
54% : Tobacco and products related to it shall, however, remain under the 28 per cent tax slab till loans and compensation cess have been paid.
54% : "There is evidence in literature which supports the fact that tobacco taxation leads to improved health outcomes, particularly in economically disadvantaged sections of society," the researchers said.
52% : In another significant step, the authors stated that the council has also increased the tax slab for tobacco products to 40 per cent, which is the highest for any class of goods in the country.
51% : New Delhi, Recent changes to the Goods and Services Tax framework simplified tax structure, removal of tax on drugs and medical equipment and increased taxation on tobacco products mark an important policy shift towards making cancer care more affordable and accessible, AIIMS researchers have said.
49% : Recent literature suggests that a 50 per cent hike in tobacco tax stands to avert 1.8 million mortalities while saving, over the span of a decade, ₹11.9 trillion.
43% : The key takeaways from these reforms in terms of healthcare involve a simplified tax structure, removal of tax on drugs and medical equipment and increased taxation on tobacco products," the researchers said.

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