Treatment

Chronic Care Management in India: 7 Essential Steps

14 min read By Dr. Munaf Ahmad Ansari

Chronic care management is the ongoing, coordinated medical care that people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease or kidney disease need to stay stable and avoid complications. For international patients, India offers a large network of private multispecialty hospitals and a government-backed medical visa system. It also has uneven price transparency and quality information, which is why a careful, step-by-step approach matters.

This guide walks you through seven practical steps. Every statistic links to its source, and where the evidence is limited, we say so.

Table of Contents

What Chronic Care Management Means

In the United States, the phrase has a precise definition. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) describes it as care coordination delivered outside regular office visits for patients with two or more chronic conditions. The conditions must be expected to last at least 12 months, or until death, and must put the patient at significant risk of death, acute worsening or functional decline (CMS).

CMS also lists what the service involves: a comprehensive care plan, medication management, management of care transitions, and coordination between providers.

That is a Medicare billing definition, not a standard that Indian hospitals follow. Indian hospitals describe comparable services under different names, such as chronic disease management, specialty clinics or long-term follow-up programmes. Do not assume that two programmes with the same name include the same services.

The CMS description is still a useful checklist. A good programme gives you one care plan, a named coordinator, a reviewed medication list and a defined follow-up schedule.

Why Patients Look to India for Chronic Care Management

The global burden of chronic disease

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that noncommunicable diseases kill 41 million people each year, equal to 74% of all deaths worldwide. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 17.9 million of those deaths, cancers for 9.3 million, chronic respiratory diseases for 4.1 million and diabetes for 2.0 million (WHO).

The burden inside India

India’s own data shows why its hospitals see so many long-term conditions. The ICMR-INDIAB national survey, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology in 2023, found a diabetes prevalence of 11.4% and a hypertension prevalence of 35.5%. That equals an estimated 101 million people with diabetes and 315 million with hypertension (National Medical Journal of India).

The same survey reported prediabetes at 15.3% and generalised obesity at 28.6% (National Herald, reporting the Lancet findings).

Medical travel numbers

According to a May 2026 Press Information Bureau (PIB) factsheet, 507,244 foreign nationals travelled to India for medical treatment in 2025, about 5.5% of all foreign tourist arrivals. Bangladesh was the largest source with 325,127 arrivals, followed by Iraq (30,989), Uzbekistan (13,699), Somalia (11,506), Turkmenistan (10,231), Oman (9,738) and Kenya (9,357) (PIB).

The same document says India has 69,364 hospitals and 1.2 million registered doctors, and ranked 10th among 46 destinations in the Medical Tourism Index 2020–21.

These figures describe volume and capacity. They do not measure how well any single hospital will treat your condition, so the steps below focus on how to check that yourself.

Step 1: List Your Conditions and Prepare Your Records

Good chronic care management starts with a complete picture of your health. Before you contact any hospital, gather:

  • Every diagnosis, with the year it was made
  • Your full medication list, with generic names and doses
  • Recent laboratory results and imaging reports
  • Discharge summaries from any hospital stays
  • Known allergies and past reactions to medicines
  • A referral letter or summary from your current doctor

The referral letter can matter for your visa. For example, the Indian Embassy in the UAE asks applicants for a referral letter or preliminary medical advice from a hospital in the UAE, alongside a letter from the Indian hospital (Embassy of India, UAE). Requirements differ by country, so check with the mission that serves you.

Also ask your own doctor whether you are fit to fly long distances. Do this before you book anything.

Step 2: Choose the Right Chronic Care Management Programme

Programmes for international patients tend to fall into a few broad types. Knowing which one you need helps you ask better questions.

Assessment and care plan

A multi-specialty evaluation that ends in a written plan your home doctor can follow. This suits patients who want a second opinion or a structured review of a long-standing condition.

Treatment within a chronic condition

Some patients travel for a specific intervention, such as a cardiac procedure or kidney care. The PIB factsheet lists cardiac surgery, cancer treatment, organ transplants and neurological interventions among the treatments foreign patients commonly seek in India (PIB).

Longer-term follow-up

Periodic return visits, sometimes combined with teleconsultations. Ask the hospital in writing how remote follow-up works, who answers messages and how quickly.

Integrative or AYUSH-based care

Programmes built around Ayurveda, Yoga or other AYUSH systems, which we cover in a separate section below.

The duration of any programme depends on your condition and on what the treating team decides after reviewing your records. Ask for a written plan that states the number of visits, the tests planned and what happens if your condition changes.

Step 3: Verify Hospital Accreditation Yourself

Two accreditation systems matter most when you compare chronic care management providers in India. NABH, the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers, is the national body. According to PIB, NABH had accredited over 1,299 hospitals as of 2026 and is affiliated with the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) (PIB).

The second is Joint Commission International (JCI), a US-based body. PIB reported JCI-accredited hospitals in nine Indian cities as of 2022, with the most in Delhi (9), Mumbai (6) and Bangalore (3). Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi became the first hospital in India to earn JCI accreditation, in July 2005, according to Apollo Hospitals.

Why you should check, not assume

Accreditation belongs to a specific facility, not to a hospital brand, and it expires and gets renewed. When we compared third-party lists of JCI-accredited hospitals in India, they disagreed with each other. Some lists included hospitals that others omitted.

So verify directly:

Accreditation tells you a hospital meets defined standards for safety processes. It does not guarantee the outcome of your individual treatment.

Step 4: Understand What the Evidence Shows

Many websites promise “excellent success rates” for chronic care management. Chronic conditions do not have a single success rate, because the goal is control over years rather than a one-time cure. Here is what published research actually shows.

A randomised trial of team-based chronic care management in India

The INDEPENDENT trial, published in JAMA in 2020, enrolled 404 adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms at four clinics in India. For 12 months, one group received collaborative care, which used non-physician care coordinators, decision support in electronic health records and specialist case reviews. The comparison group received usual care.

At 24 months, the collaborative care group showed statistically significantly greater improvement in a composite measure of depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic indices (JAMA via PubMed Central). The University of Washington reported that more than 70% of the intervention group improved in both diabetes and depression measures (UW Medicine).

The limits of that result

A 36-month follow-up found that overall improvements since baseline did not differ between the two groups by that point. Patients who had improved by the end of the active programme were more likely to keep those gains (36-month follow-up).

The practical lesson is that coordinated team care helped, and that benefits depend on continued support after a programme ends. A separate analysis published in Diabetes Care in 2022 found the model cost-effective, especially when well integrated into routine care (DZD summary).

This trial studied residents of urban India, not international visitors. We did not find published trials that follow international patients through chronic care management in India, so treat any outcome promise from a provider with caution and ask for the data behind it.

Step 5: Plan Your Medical Visa and Stay

PIB states that the e-Medical Visa and e-Medical Attendant Visa are available to nationals of 172 countries. For patients seeking traditional treatment, India also offers an e-AYUSH Visa and an e-AYUSH Attendant Visa, and introduced a dedicated AYUSH Visa on 27 July 2023 (PIB).

Key points drawn from official Indian consulate guidance:

Visa duration, number of entries, fees and eligibility change over time and differ by nationality. Confirm the current rules on the official portal before you book flights for your chronic care management programme, and never pay anyone who promises a guaranteed visa.

Step 6: Get Costs in Writing

India’s government says high-quality treatment is often available at substantially lower cost than in many developed countries (PIB). We have not found a reliable, published price list for chronic care management aimed at international patients, so we do not quote monthly figures for chronic care management here. Any figure that appears on a website without a source deserves doubt.

What is price-regulated

Medicines on India’s National List of Essential Medicines are called scheduled formulations. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) sets ceiling prices for them under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, and manufacturers must sell within that ceiling plus applicable taxes. For non-scheduled medicines, price increases are limited to 10% in a 12-month period (Parliament of India reply).

This applies to medicine prices only. Consultation fees, room charges and diagnostic tests are set by each hospital.

What to request

Ask for an itemised written estimate that covers:

  • Consultation fees for each specialist
  • Laboratory tests and imaging
  • Room category and length of stay
  • Medicines and consumables
  • Coordinator or facilitator fees
  • What happens to the price if complications occur
  • Payment terms and the refund policy

Check with your own insurer before you travel. Many policies do not cover treatment abroad, and you should confirm this in writing.

Step 7: Plan Care After You Go Home

CMS lists management of care transitions as a core part of chronic care management, and the moment you fly home is the biggest transition of all. For safe chronic care management after you return, secure the following before you leave India:

  • A discharge summary and care plan in English
  • A medication list with generic names, so your home pharmacist can match each item
  • Copies of all lab and imaging reports
  • A written follow-up schedule
  • Contact details for the hospital team, including how to reach them in an emergency

Share the plan with your home doctor before you travel back, not afterwards. Carry medicines in their original packaging with a prescription. Some medicines are controlled substances in India, so check the rules for each item before you fly.

Integrative and Ayurvedic Care: What to Know

India actively promotes AYUSH systems (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) as part of its medical travel offer. According to PIB, insurers are permitted to cover AYUSH treatments under IRDAI regulations, and around 27 insurance companies offer more than 140 products that include them. The Bureau of Indian Standards has also adopted ISO 22525, an international standard for medical wellness tourism services (PIB).

If you plan to combine AYUSH therapies with your chronic care management, follow three rules:

  • Tell every clinician about every herbal or Ayurvedic product you take, because supplements can interact with prescribed medicines.
  • Never stop a prescribed medicine without advice from your treating doctor.
  • Treat a wellness retreat as a complement to medical care, not a replacement for it.

For related reading, see our guides to Ayurvedic Therapies, Rehabilitation Programs and Preventive Health Checkups.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

Use this checklist with any hospital or facilitator that offers chronic care management. Their answers, and how willing they are to put them in writing, tell you a great deal.

  • Which doctor will lead my chronic care management, and who coordinates between specialists?
  • Is this specific facility accredited, and what is the certificate expiry date?
  • What does the programme include, and what costs extra?
  • How will you follow up after I return home, and how are messages answered?
  • Can you send me the written estimate and care plan before I buy a ticket?
  • If a facilitator is involved, are they registered or rated? PIB says the government is encouraging registration and rating of medical value travel facilitators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is chronic care management?

It is ongoing, coordinated care for long-term conditions. The US definition covers patients with two or more chronic conditions lasting at least 12 months, with a care plan, medication management and coordination between providers.

Which chronic conditions are most common in India?

National survey data shows hypertension affects 35.5% of adults and diabetes 11.4%. WHO identifies cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes as the four largest noncommunicable disease groups worldwide.

Is chronic care management cheaper in India?

The Indian government says treatment is often available at substantially lower cost than in many developed countries. The actual cost depends on your condition, hospital and programme, so request an itemised written estimate before you decide.

How long will I need to stay in India?

That depends on your condition and the treating team’s plan. Ask for the expected number of visits in your chronic care management plan in writing, and check the visa rules for your nationality on the official portal.

Is it safe to travel with a chronic condition?

That is a medical question for your own doctor. Ask whether you are fit to fly and whether any precautions apply before you commit to travel.

Can I combine chronic care management with Ayurveda?

Some patients do, and India offers e-AYUSH visas for this purpose. Tell all your doctors about every product you use, and do not stop prescribed medicines without medical advice.

Do I need a facilitator to access care in India?

No, hospitals can issue their own invitation letters. A facilitator is optional, so check their registration, references and written terms before paying.

How MedicHorizon Can Help

MedicHorizon is a health hospitality consultancy. We are not a medical provider, hospital or licensed practitioner, and we do not diagnose, treat or recommend treatment.

We can help you organise your records for chronic care management, request estimates and invitation letters from hospitals, and coordinate travel and accommodation. You can browse our treatments directory or explore our curated recovery retreats.

To start a conversation, email contactmedichorizon@gmail.com or Contact Us.

Sources

This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. MedicHorizon is a health hospitality consultancy, not a medical provider, hospital or licensed medical practitioner. We do not diagnose, treat, prescribe or offer medical opinions. Information about chronic care management is based on publicly available sources and does not constitute medical advice. Visa rules, accreditation status and prices change, so verify all details independently and consult qualified healthcare professionals before making any health decision. All health decisions remain your own responsibility.

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