From Root Canal to Skincare: How Most Health Expenses Come Beyond Hospitalisation

When people think of healthcare spending, they tend to think of hospital stays, surgeries, and intensive care unit (ICU) bills. Our health insurance systems are built around this exact scenario. But here’s the truth: for most Indians, hospitalisation isn’t the biggest health expense. It's dental check-ups, dermatology visits, therapy sessions, and fertility consultations that quietly take a toll on wallets month after month.

Please note that we refer to these things as services, and that they are not luxuries! They are essential healthcare services, and when it comes to our health and wellbeing, it feels like thinking about health resources focused on one-off medical emergencies does not capture how health services affect daily life going forward. Yet, traditional health coverage offers little to no financial support for these needs.

In this article, we examine why the majority of modern healthcare spending happens outside hospitals and why it's time our healthcare system evolved to reflect that.

Understanding the Shift Where the Money Goes

The Data Behind the Reality

According to India’s National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), over 60% of the average Indian household's medical expenses go toward outpatient services. This includes consultations, diagnostics, dental procedures, physiotherapy, and non-hospital-based treatments.

Furthermore, insurance industry data from the IRDAI shows that only 5–10% of insured employees use their hospitalisation coverage annually. This leaves a wide gap between what people are paying premiums for and what they need.

A study by the NITI Aayog confirms this: outpatient care and medicines form the largest chunk of out-of-pocket health expenditure in India, not hospitalisation.

Common, Recurring Costs We Ignore

Here are some real-life costs people face regularly:

• Root Canal Treatment: ₹6000 - ₹15000 
• Braces / Invisalign: ₹35000 - ₹1.2 lakh 
• Skin Treatments (acne/scars/laser): ₹3000 - ₹30000 
• Fertility Consultation / IVF: ₹1.5 lakh - ₹2.5 lakh per cycle
• LASIK Eye surgery: ₹30000 - ₹70000

These are not fringe expenses. They are central to the way people manage their appearance, mental health, and quality of life.

The Problem with Traditional Insurance

Health/life insurance was intended to protect against financial risk for medical emergencies. Think of accidents, major surgeries, and life-threatening illnesses. The model hasn’t evolved much since.

Meanwhile, modern healthcare demands have dramatically shifted. Most healthcare decisions today are non-emergency, planned, and recurring. Preventive consultations, therapy sessions, and lifestyle treatments are all important but rarely covered.

Gaps in Coverage

Even if some employer policies include outpatient coverage, it’s often minimal and requires a tedious claims process. Most insurance plans do not cover:

•  Dental procedures
•  Cosmetic and aesthetic treatments
•  Fertility services
•  Preventive dermatology
•  Mental health consultations

This leaves employees either paying out of pocket or delaying necessary care.

The Rise of Global Preventive Healthcare and Lifestyle-Based Healthcare

It is no longer about reaction! Younger professionals have shifted from healthcare being reactive to wellness and prevention.  Generations Y and Z value wellness, prevention, and mental health care more than emergency medical intervention, so much so that their spending patterns reflect their commitment to health, confidence, and productivity. 

Since 2019 and today, things have been evolving at an all-time pace. The COVID-19 pandemic, while being tragic in its many facets, has brought mental health and immune resilience to the forefront of our lives, which has turned us into proactive individuals. 

It is increasingly common now for people to proactively engage in therapy, regular skin treatments, as well as proactively consult with nutritionists and wellness coaches.

The Flipping of the Aesthetic and Wellness Industries

India’s aesthetic healthcare market is booming:

• The dermatology and cosmetic wellness industry is valued at over ₹12,000 crore
• Cosmetic dentistry, skin rejuvenation, and non-invasive treatments are growing at 18–20% CAGR

These trends are driven by urban professionals who see health as holistic: physical, emotional, and aesthetic well-being are all interconnected.

Financial Impact of Out-of-Hospital Care

The issue isn’t just the rise in outpatient expenses, but the lack of support to manage them. Unlike hospitalisation, these costs occur frequently. Someone might:

•  Visit a therapist 8–10 times a year
•  Undergo regular dental procedures
•  Get quarterly skin or hair treatments

With no insurance to rely on, these costs can exceed lakhs annually.

The absence of financial support often leads people to delay or avoid treatment. What begins as a small dental issue could turn into a root canal. Neglected skin issues can lead to long-term damage. Skipping mental health support can worsen burnout.

In effect, avoiding outpatient care today leads to more expensive hospital-based care tomorrow.

The Need for a Modern Healthcare Model

Shifting from Insurance to Access

To serve today’s employees, we need to rethink benefits. Insurance should not be the only model for financial protection. What people truly need is immediate access to trusted care, without the burden of cost.

welUp: A Solution Built for Real Life

welUp is a modern healthcare benefits platform that prioritises everyday health needs. Here’s how it works:

•  Access to 7,000+ verified clinics and specialists in 100+ cities
•  Coverage includes dental, dermatology, fertility, therapy, eye care, fitness, and nutrition
•  Instant access to ₹5 lakh annual credit on 0% EMI
•  No insurance claim process, just a cashless, seamless experience
•  Built for OPD, preventive, and lifestyle care

With welUp, employees can get the care they need, when they need it, without financial hesitation.

Everyday Health Needs Everyday Support

Healthcare is no longer just about emergencies. It’s about managing life. The services that define our well-being, dental care, therapy, skincare, fertility, and fitness, are now regular expenses that cannot be ignored.

Our insurance systems, however, haven’t caught up. They cover surgeries, but not self-care. They assist in emergencies, but not in maintenance. As a result, employees face out-of-pocket expenses for essential, frequent care.

welUp challenges this outdated model. By providing outpatient, preventive, and lifestyle-based healthcare, it provides a smarter, more reasonable answer to modern health and health-related needs.

In a world where confidence, energy, and well-being are essential to productivity, we must ask: Is your healthcare plan helping you live better every day or just survive emergencies?

The future of healthcare lies not in hospital corridors, but in therapy rooms, dental chairs, skin clinics, and fitness centers. With welUp, that future is accessible, affordable, and already here.