Pension fund regulator PFRDA has launched the second proof of concept (PoC) of ‘NPS Health’, which aims to integrate retirement planning with healthcare funding, PTI reported.The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) said the National Pension System (NPS) Health is a multi-partner framework designed to provide financial and health security.Under the initiative, Medi Assist Healthcare Services will act as the lead technology partner, CAMS will handle KRA onboarding and KYC, while Tata Pension Fund and Axis Pension Fund will act as fund managers. Aditya Birla Health Insurance will provide top-up cover, and Medi Assist TPA will manage the claims.“This initiative addresses the growing gap in India’s retirement landscape, where health care costs are projected to increase by 11.5 per cent to 14 per cent in 2026, which will significantly drive inflation and put pressure on long-term financial security for millions of people,” PFRDA said.The move comes as the pension ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with NPS and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) having a subscriber base of Rs 9.64 crore and assets under management of Rs 16.55 lakh crore as of March 29, 2026.Unlike traditional NPS funds, which remain locked till retirement, NPS allows health subscribers to access “net eligible balance” up to 25% of their contributions for medical expenses.Members can withdraw funds through the Maven app developed by Medi Assist, which is integrated with the CAMS Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) system to enable seamless access to funds for health care needs.