Submitting the report to the Ministry of Health and Population

On January 19, 2025, the NPF delegation, represented by Ms. Sadichchha Silwal and Mr. Shaksham Shahi, held a joint meeting with the Chief Advisor to the Minister of Health and Population (MoHP) Dr. Raghu Raj Kaphle, along with the legal advisor to the Minister, Advocate Pramish Khanal. During the meeting, the delegation officially handed over the report titled "Addressing Challenges and Enhancing Nepal’s Health Insurance Policy—2024."

From the left: Adv. Pramish Khanal, Dr. Raghu Raj Kaphle, Adv. Sadichchha Silwal and Mr. Shaksham Shahi

On July 29, 2024, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), under the leadership of Hon. Pradip Poudel, held an initial meeting with NPF's founder and executive director, Mr. Milan Jung Katuwal, to discuss the contemporary challenges surrounding access to healthcare. During the discussion, Mr. Katuwal proposed increasing the insurance coverage amount to NPR 5,00,000, a suggestion that resonated with the Ministry. Following this, the MoHP tasked NPF with conducting a comprehensive study on the current status of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) in collaboration with the Ministry’s dedicated task force.

Minister for Health and Popualtion Hon. Pradip Poudel with the founder of NPF Mr. Milan Jung Katuwal on 29th July 2024.

NPF played an active role in collaborating with the Health Insurance Reform Task Force established by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP). The task force, comprising distinguished professionals such as Dr. Shambhu Acharya, Dr. Bhagwan Koirala, and Dr. Raghu Raj Kaphle, was formed to address critical challenges in Nepal’s National Health Insurance Program (NHIP). Together, the task force and NPF worked diligently to analyze the existing health insurance framework, identify gaps, and propose actionable reforms. 

The task force, with input from NPF, submitted its comprehensive report to the Prime Minister, highlighting key recommendations, including increasing the insurance coverage amount from the current NPR 3,00,000 to NPR 5,00,000. In response, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry to prepare a detailed action plan within seven days to implement these reforms.

The Health Insurance Reform Task Force led by Dr. Shambhu Acharya submits its report to the Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli on 19th January 2025.

The report serves as a foundational resource for introducing necessary reforms to the current National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) and has been prominently referenced in the high-level report presented to the Prime Minister by the Health Insurance Reform Task Force. Dr. Kaphle who is also the member of the Health Insurance Reform Task Force, expressed his appreciation for NPF's efforts, commending the organization’s dedication to evidence-based policy research and advocacy. He emphasized that the report played a vital role in shaping the Ministry's ongoing policy discussions, particularly regarding increasing the insurance coverage to NRs. 5,00,000 (Five Lakhs), risk-pooling mechanisms, infrastructure development, and avenues for resource optimization. 

Dr. Kaphle reiterated the Ministry’s openness to collaborating with NPF on similar initiatives in the future, recognizing the value of well-researched contributions in advancing Nepal’s healthcare policies toward greater inclusivity and sustainability.

Read the full report.