With India at a crossroads, with a new government expected soon, the time is ripe to put healthcare reform at centre stage, with the goal of pressing the next central government to achieve meaningful universal health coverage. Four key steps to reach the goal. First, the government must embrace the idea of tax-funded universal coverage against subsidized private insurance schemes. Second, it must incentivize preventive care by setting up more robust primary-care facilities, especially in underserved rural areas. Third, it must pursue substantive public-private partnerships with trustworthy private actors; this step should be supported by a stronger regulatory framework from the central government. Fourth, it must encourage state governments to function as laboratories to produce better outcomes.