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The Ministry of Health (MOH) is currently seeking feedback on a draft Government Resolution regarding the continued provision of health insurance (HI) premiums subsides for ethnic minority individuals living in communes classified as "Region II" or "Region III", as well as in particularly disadvantaged villages within ethnic minority and mountainous areas—areas that were covered during the 2016–2020 period but are no longer included in the corresponding lists for the 2021–2025 period, pursuant to decisions issued by the Prime Minister.

According to the MOH, on October 19, 2023, the Government issued Decree No.  75/2023/NĐ-CP which amends and supplements several articles of Decree No. 146/2018/NĐ-CP (dated October 17, 2018) – a decree that provides detailed regulations and guidelines for the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Health Insurance.

Specifically, Decree No. 75/2023/NĐ-CP adds a group of ethnic minority individuals—those who resided in "Region II" or "Region III" communes, or in particularly disadvantaged villages within ethnic minority and mountainous areas during the 2016–2020 period, but are no longer classified as such areas for the 2021–2025 period—to the category of people eligible for state budget support for their HI premiums.

Under these regulations, the aforementioned group is entitled to a state budget subsidy covering at least 70% of their HI premium. This policy will remain in effect for 36 months, concluding on October 31, 2026.

Over nearly three years of implementation, the policy has helped maintain HI coverage for an average of approximately 2 million ethnic minority individuals each year, preventing a decline in participation that might occur when their residential areas are no longer eligible for the provision of free HI cards.

However, according to estimates by the MOH, as of October 2026, there will be 1,413,686 individuals receiving state budget subsidies for their HI premiums under Decree No. 75/2023/NĐ-CP. If this policy is not extended beyond October 31, 2026, approximately 1.3 million people from ethnic minority groups may lose their state-funded HI premium subsidies.

Notably, in 17 provinces and cities where no additional support policy from the local budget exists, participants will be required to pay the full HI premium themselves, rather than just the 30% they currently contribute. Consequently, the amount to be paid will increase approximately 3.3 times, placing an additional burden on households facing economic hardship.

Discontinuing support policies also risks interrupting the validity of HI cards, directly affecting individuals' access to medical care—particularly those with chronic conditions who require regular, long-term treatment. This not only increases the financial burden of healthcare costs but also undermines efforts to maintain and expand HI coverage.

To ensure the continuity of social security policy, the MOH proposes that the Government continue to provide a subsidy covering at least 70% of the HI premium for the aforementioned group, effective from November 1, 2026, until such time as a decree amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 188/2025/NĐ-CP is issued and enters into force.