A retired insurance professional from the city has been campaigning for reduction of 18% GST on medical insurance. He has also started a petition on change.org, which has been signed by nearly 40,000 people within two months.
“Medical insurance has become a necessity and a must have protection for the working class, thanks to the ever spiralling medical costs. However it is subjected to 18% GST which makes it very expensive. It puts a burden on the already slim earnings of the middle class, retirees etc,” read the petition.

Seeking a reduction of GST to 5%, Madhava Endlur, retired insurance professional who put up the petition, said: “Owing to the limited availability of quality medical care in the public space, common man is forced to go to expensive private hospitals. People are forced to buy expensive medical insurance policies to safeguard themselves from high cost of treatment in private hospitals. To levy 18% GST on this already expensive product is an absolute unjust.”