Mumbai: The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) has urged insurance companies to provide equitable coverage for robotic-assisted joint replacement surgeries, citing the growing burden of arthritis and limited patient access to advanced treatment options in India.
While nearly 60 million Indians suffer from arthritis, experts estimate that only 10% to 15% undergo joint replacement surgery using the latest robotic technology despite its proven advantages in precision, faster recovery, and long-term outcomes.
Experts Highlight Insurance Gaps, Not Medical Barriers
At a recent panel discussion in Mumbai, leading orthopaedic surgeons Dr. Mudit Khanna (Wockhardt Hospital), Dr. Milind Patil (Revival Bone & Joint Hospital), and Prof. Dr. Pradeep B. Bhosale (Nanavati Max Hospital) stressed that insurance limitations, rather than medical constraints, remain the biggest hurdle to wider patient access.
Though the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in 2019 directed insurers to include modern treatments in health plans, coverage for robotic-assisted procedures still varies widely. Sub-limits and caps often push patients toward conventional surgeries or cause them to delay treatment due to affordability concerns.
‘Robotic Surgery Is a Proven Global Standard’
“Robotic joint replacement is no longer experimental it’s an established global standard with over 20 years of clinical use across 45 countries,” said Dr. Milind Patil, noting that more than 1.5 million robotic procedures have been performed globally.
He added, “In Australia, 41% of primary knee replacements were robotic in 2025, and projections show 70% adoption in the U.S. by 2030. Yet, in India, families often delay surgery because insurance doesn’t fully support the procedure.”
Doctors Demand Partial Coverage as Interim Solution
Dr. Mudit Khanna emphasized that even when patients choose to bear the extra expense, insurers should at least cover costs equivalent to conventional joint replacement procedures.
“If robotic surgery improves outcomes, insurers should not penalize patients for choosing it,” he stated.
Robotic Surgery Brings Long-Term Economic Value
The panel urged insurers to recognize the long-term clinical and economic benefits of robotic-assisted surgeries including fewer revision procedures, reduced readmissions, and faster return to work, all of which lower overall healthcare costs.
Prof. Dr. Pradeep Bhosale added, “Insurers need to look beyond immediate costs and focus on long-term outcomes. Comprehensive coverage benefits both patients and insurers by cutting downstream healthcare expenses.”
PFCD Calls for Equitable and Patient-Centric Coverage
Aman Gupta, Asia Representative of PFCD, reinforced the organization’s patient-first approach:
“At PFCD, our mission is patient-centric no one should be denied access to advanced care due to financial barriers. Robotic joint replacement must be recognized as a medically necessary, value-driven innovation to ensure equitable access and improve the quality of life for arthritis patients.”
