Market research indicates that ~25% of all outpatient and ~60% of all inpatient events lead to low-income families (having an annual income base between Rs 40,000-200,000 for urban and Rs 40,000-90,000 for rural) taking loans at very high interest rates (3-5% per month) and being caught in a ''poverty trap''. The number of such affected people is estimated to be around 20 million a year.

We have conducted extensive field research covering ~50 villages across 7 states meeting over 400 families and over 100 private and public healthcare providers to understand the health management needs of this segment. Based on this we have realized that though these villages have vary in terms of demographics, size and distance from each other, there are similarities between most of these villages. These are in the following two main areas:  

1. Income and consumption behaviour:
   1. Household income mostly based on daily wage or small farms
   2. Income patterns are irregular (e.g. due to crop cycles) and depend on several external factors (e.g. monsoon)
   3. Living is usually hand-to-mouth with very little willingness and also system to save. Daily excess is almost spent regularly (daily or weekly basis) on items like liqour
   4. Savings or excess money is channelized into paying back loans /interest of loans, when a loan has been taken
2. Health consumption:
   1. Household spends over Rs 2,000 per annum on outpatient care
   2. Inpatient expenses are typically funded by loans at very high interest rates (5% per month)
   3. About 25% of inpatient events result in households getting caught in a "poverty trap"
   4. About 20mn people in India go below poverty line every year due to health event