The tipping point
India's healthcare infrastructure has quietly been failing us for decades. While other nations are moving forward, India remains stagnant or even regresses. The average lifespan in India is 69 years, which is terribly low compared to other Asian countries. For example, citizens of Japan live 84 yrs on average, an additional 15 years of life per person.
The other health statistics on India paint a grim picture: we have over 100 million diabetics, the highest number of cardiovascular disease cases in the world, a shortage of doctors, and a scarcity of hospital beds. Producers stuff our food with processed chemicals, sugars, and trans fats with little consequences because consumer awareness is low.
Structural limits
India's healthcare system suffers from systemic issues that are hard to change. The limited number of doctors and hospital beds leads to inadequate care for the vast population. We have just 5 hospital beds per 10,000 people. There are only 1.2 million registered doctors supporting a country of 1.4 billion lives. Because of the high volumes, the average doctor consultation lasts just 5 minutes. With such limited time, it is difficult for a doctor to fully understand a person’s medical history and make an effective diagnosis.
More importantly, the dominant “fee for service” business model of the healthcare system discourages doctors from focusing on long-term health improvement for patients.
It’s a classic case of “Show me the incentive, and I’ll show you the outcome.” Doctors are paid for the number of procedures they perform, not for the health outcomes of their patients. This leads to a focus on treatment rather than prevention, and it leaves many people without the preventive care they need to get ahead of sickness. Naturally, patients have become wary of being prescribed unnecessary treatments and often navigate to alternative treatments on their own.
A new approach
The answer is not more of the same. To fix these massive problems requires a radical rethinking of how we approach healthcare. It requires creating a new system altogether which realigns the financial incentives for hospitals and uses technology to make world-class primary care more readily available.
Health Assurance
At Loop, we’re calling this new system Health Assurance. Health Assurance is more than just insurance. With insurance, you pay a premium in case you need critical medical care. With Health Assurance, you pay a premium for the assurance of good health and to have support along your entire care journey.
Health assurance not only provides financial coverage for major medical treatment but also gives you access to preventive care, wellness programs, and chronic disease management. Think of health assurance as an insurance plan that doesn't just react to disease, but tries to prevent disease altogether.
This approach requires several key elements:
Correct the Incentives: By paying doctors for health outcomes rather than the number of procedures they complete, we can encourage a focus on long-term wellness.
Technology to Scale Care: We can use telemedicine to reach more people, provide them continuous care, and help them make better lifestyle choices.
Preventive care: A focus on early intervention to manage conditions rather than waiting on a critical illness to develop will improve overall health and minimize costs.
Data that Informs: Gathering more health data enables early disease detection and more personalized care. This includes data on your vitals over many years, family health history, genetic profile, etc. More data means a higher likelihood of a correct diagnosis and treatment plan. It also sets the stage for high quality AI-based care in the future.
What does a world with Health Assurance look like?
Imagine a scenario where your cardiologist could stay updated with cardiac events between your appointments, with the help of your wearable. Or consider if your endocrinologist could be updated instantly when your diabetic parent experienced a major glycemic irregularity. What if your nutritionist proactively communicated with you every week? And how would it feel to have your annual lab tests covered by your insurance for free?
This is all possible, with the correct alignment of incentives, data, and care protocols.
Why now?
We cannot wait any longer. We must recognize our infrastructure is not getting the job done, in fact it’s literally costing us each years of our lives. We must commit to rebuilding a more effective system aligned to extending the lifespans of more than 1 billion people. This is a massive vision, and one we recognize that we cannot fulfill alone.
Fortunately, the building blocks are in place. There is enough scientific literature to effectively personalize nutrition, wellness, and medical advice based on an individual’s lifestyle and genetic profile. The lowering cost of sensors, increased insurance coverage, and a rising awareness of health, as evidenced by the emergence of companies like Ultrahuman and Cultfit, make this the right moment to build Health Assurance for India.
If we can move the needle on these inputs to generate more data, we can also build algorithms that detect disease early and nudge patients to make better daily lifestyle choices. We can inform doctors to make better decisions and keep them focused on long term health outcomes.
It's no longer science fiction. It is possible and it’s happening in other countries around the world. It's time for India to step up and embrace a new era of healthcare. With the right execution we can potentially add fifteen years to each Indian’s life.
Our country's foundation and progress have been shaped by the act of building. The generations before us laid down roads and railways, established farms and industries, and innovated with the deployment of computers, pharmaceuticals, low-cost internet, and innumerable other technologies that have become integral to our daily existence.
These accomplishments not only define our lives but also contribute to our overall well-being. To pay tribute to their enduring legacy and to pave the way for the future we envision for our children and grandchildren, we must continue the tradition of building something that makes the lives of all Indians better. This manifesto is a call to all organizations, legislators, and startup founders- let’s build Health Assurance together.
At a crossroads
India's healthcare infrastructure has reached a tipping point. With a growing population and a healthcare system that hasn't kept pace, the cracks are beginning to show. If you look at the state of our health infrastructure today, it's clear that a change isn't just desirable; it's essential.
The average lifespan for a person in a major city like Mumbai is only 69 years. In rural India, the average is even lower. Let’s compare that to Tokyo, a city of the same density and scale, where the average lifespan is 84 years. That’s right, a resident of Japan will get fifteen extra years of life as compared to an Indian.
What’s causing such a huge difference? Among many things, Japan has more nutritious foods, more doctors, comprehensive insurance plans, and better technology. Our collective failure to scale healthcare and insurance coverage is costing us what’s most important: life years. It's not about statistics; it's about people, families, and communities that all deserve better.
The tipping point for India:
- We lead the world with more than 100 million diabetics
- We have 1 doctor for every 2,000 patients (half of what’s required)
- We have just 5 hospital beds per 10,000 people (lowest quartile globally)
- We’ll soon have the most cases of cardiovascular disease in the world
These aren't just numbers; they tell a story of a system that's failing to meet our needs and it is indicative of a deep rooted problem. So, how do we navigate our way from here? What could a solution look like? We asked ourselves this question for years, before finally arriving at the idea for Loop.
Building a Better Health System
The answer is not more of the same. It requires a radical rethinking of how we approach health. We believe fixing this issue requires creating a new system altogether which realigns the financial incentives for hospitals and uses technology to scale primary care.
Why? Because traditional healthcare is entirely reactive. You get sick, so you go see your doctor. If the situation is severe, you go to the hospital and use your insurance for a procedure.
But imagine this instead- What if we could catch your disease early and prevent your conditions from getting worse? What if your cardiologist had access to live heart rate data on your wearable? What if your nutritionist checked in on you every week proactively? What if you could get lab tests every year for free? And what if your insurance company paid for these services on your behalf?
This would help us catch diseases early, help doctors make better decisions, and reduce the number of critical illnesses in a population. But most importantly, it would help you live a happier, healthier life.
At Loop, we have built this and we’re calling it Health Assurance. Health assurance is a concept that goes beyond traditional insurance by focusing not only on financial coverage for major medical treatment but also on preventive care, wellness, and mental health. Think of health assurance as an insurance plan that doesn't just react to disease, but tries to prevent disease altogether.
What would a health assurance system look like in practice? It’s centered on these 4 pillars—
Preventive Care: Emphasizes regular check-ups, screenings, and health maintenance to catch potential issues early. The idea is to assure good health by preventing diseases before they start.
Technology & Data: Leverages technology to enhance patient care, such as telemedicine, apps for tracking health, and utilizing data analytics to provide personalized care plans.
Focus on Wellness: Promotes overall well-being rather than merely treating illnesses. This might include support for mental health, nutrition, exercise, and more.
Payment for Outcomes: Doctors should be incentivized to avoid expensive care, and opt for low-cost preventive care that works early. While health insurance focuses mainly on financial risk protection, health assurance ties doctor salary to actual health outcomes.
Why now?
We have the technology, we have the scientific evidence, and now we must execute.
We can look at places like Japan and the US where lifespans are longer, and copy elements of their healthcare systems which have worked effectively. There is enough scientific literature to effectively personalize nutrition, wellness, and medical advice based on an individual’s lifestyle and genetic profile.
Data is the silent hero in this transformation. With more data, we can create better care protocols, enable more self-care, and catch diseases early. Unfortunately today, less than 5% of Indians have a wearable device which tracks their vitals. Less than 1% of Indians have ever undergone genetic testing. Annually, preventive check-ups are done by only 7% of Indians. But the cost of hardware sensors and diagnostic tests has fallen rapidly over the past decade, making it accessible for many more people.
If we can move the needle on these inputs to generate more and better data, we can build algorithms that detect disease early and nudge patients to make better daily lifestyle choices. We can inform doctors to make better decisions and keep them focused on long term health outcomes.
It's no longer science fiction; it's a possible reality. With the right execution we can potentially add fifteen years to each Loop member’s life.
At Loop, Health assurance is more than a plan; it's a promise to our patients. The current system isn't just inadequate; it's unjust. But we have the tools, the technology, and the talent to change the way things work. India's health is its wealth, its future. Let's not squander it. Let’s take back those 15 years we each deserve.
