For nearly two decades, Policybazaar has helped millions of Indians compare and purchase health insurance policies. Now, its parent company, PB Fintech, is taking a major step beyond insurance by entering the hospital business through its healthcare venture, PB Health.
The company has soft-launched its first hospital in DLF Phase 2, Gurugram, marking the beginning of an ambitious plan to build a technology-driven healthcare ecosystem that brings hospitals, insurance, diagnostics and preventive care onto a single platform. Although the hospital has not yet officially started treating patients, its website is live, its Google listing is active, and details of its services and medical team have already been shared publicly.
Building a Hospital Network Across Delhi-NCR
PB Health’s expansion follows its USD 218 million funding round announced last year, led by General Catalyst with participation from Faering Capital, Bay Capital, Think Investments, Avataar Venture Partners, Select Group and several angel investors.
The company is now planning to raise an additional Rs 1,500-1,600 crore to accelerate its hospital expansion strategy.
Its immediate goal is to establish a network of six to seven hospitals with around 1,200-1,300 beds across Delhi-NCR before expanding to other cities.
Besides the Gurugram facility, PB Health is preparing to launch a 250-bed hospital in Noida. Another 240-bed hospital is under development in Gurugram, while a 150-bed facility is planned in Faridabad. The company has also identified Jaipur, Indore and Nagpur as potential destinations for future expansion.
PB Fintech Joint Group CEO Sarbvir Singh said the company’s current focus remains Delhi-NCR, where it aims to create a connected healthcare network that combines treatment with insurance support and digital services.
A Different Approach to Hospital Care
Unlike conventional hospital chains, PB Health says it wants to integrate every stage of the patient journey into a single technology-enabled platform.
Instead of functioning only as a hospital operator, the company plans to combine preventive healthcare, specialist consultations, diagnostics, pharmacy services, home healthcare, teleconsultations, rehabilitation, vaccination, digital health records and insurance support under one ecosystem.
The objective is to simplify healthcare delivery while reducing the administrative burden often faced by patients during hospital admissions and insurance claims.
According to Singh, patients admitted to a PB Health hospital should not have to worry about insurance approvals or financing, as these processes are intended to be managed through the integrated system. He also stated that doctors would not have incentives linked to hospital admissions, with the aim of ensuring transparency in clinical decision-making.
The company is also working with insurance partners to standardise treatment approvals before admission, allowing discharge formalities to be completed in nearly 30 minutes.
Services Planned at PB Health Hospitals
According to information published on the company’s website, PB Health plans to offer a wide range of healthcare services, including:
- Preventive health check-ups
- Specialist consultations
- Chronic disease management
- Laboratory services
- Advanced diagnostic imaging
- Pharmacy
- Home healthcare
- Teleconsultations
- Rehabilitation services
- Vaccination
- Digital health records
The hospital has also listed specialists across multiple disciplines, including gastroenterology, orthopaedics, cardiology, pulmonology, paediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and ENT.
Among the doctors featured are Dr. Rakesh Aga (Gastroenterology), Dr. (Col.) C.M. Singh, Dr. Sumit Batra and Dr. Saurabh Bansal (Orthopaedics), Dr. Niraj Kumar (Cardiology), Dr. Dharmender Sharma (General Surgery), Dr. Beena Kumar, Dr. Manjeeta Nath Das and Dr. Hina Thapliyal (Internal and Family Medicine), Dr. Payal Agrawal (Paediatrics), Dr. Nehal Dhaduk (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Dr. Aarti Mishra (Pulmonology), and ENT specialists Dr. Melba Napolean and Dr. Sadaf Saleem.
The website also highlights features such as zero waiting time and free second opinions, though these claims will be tested only after patient services formally begin.
Beyond Insurance Sales
Policybazaar has traditionally been recognised as an insurance marketplace, but Singh said the company’s role has evolved to include customer servicing and claims support. He believes broader participation from digital platforms, banks and insurance agents will help improve health insurance penetration across India.
To strengthen its preventive healthcare offerings, PB Health has also acquired digital health startup Fitterfly, expanding its capabilities in managing diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
Public Expectations
Even before the hospital has officially opened, the concept has generated discussion within the healthcare community.
Healthcare entrepreneur Deepak Abbot recently shared a list of features he hopes hospitals like PB Health could eventually provide, including transparent pricing, quicker discharge processes, dedicated relationship managers for admitted patients, easy access to medical records, affordable pharmacy services, complimentary follow-up consultations, improved communication for families of ICU patients and specialised support for elderly patients.
While these suggestions are not official features announced by PB Health, they reflect many of the challenges patients frequently encounter during hospital visits.
Questions Yet to Be Answered
As the hospital is still awaiting its formal launch, several aspects of the model remain untested.
It remains to be seen whether insurance approvals become faster, paperwork is reduced, cashless admissions are truly seamless, digital health records improve continuity of care, and preventive healthcare services help reduce hospitalisation over time.
PB Health’s entry into hospital operations represents one of the most ambitious attempts in India to integrate insurance with healthcare delivery. If successfully implemented, the model could reshape the patient experience by bringing treatment, insurance and digital healthcare services under one roof. However, its long-term success will ultimately depend on how effectively these promises translate into real-world patient care once the hospitals become fully operational.