Caption: Pilot implementation of using chip-based national ID cards for medical examination and treatment services

On January 6, the Prime Minister promulgated Decision No 06/QĐ-TTg approving the Project on developing the application of the population database, e-identification, and digital authentication for national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period, with a vision to 2030.

Under the scheme, the national population database, e-identification and e-authentication system, as well as citizen ID cards with electronic chips, will be used flexibly and creatively to serve administrative procedures and online public services, socio-economic expansion, digital citizen development, the completion of the ecosystem on connecting, exploiting and enriching population data, and directions by leaders at all levels. As expected, the old and new versions of citizen IDs will be integrated in 2022, enabling the e-identification of all citizens.

Accordingly, one of the key tasks in 2022 is to “gradually replace personal paper documents with chip-based citizen ID cards as well as the Ministry of Public Security’s electronic identification application VNEID as a result of integration and identification of individual information into the national population database. In which, priority should be given to administrative procedures in health insurance-based medical examination and treatment services.”

Viet Nam Social Security has worked with the Ministry of Public Security to gradually synchronise national data on insurance and the National Database on Population, develop technical solutions to facilitate the use of chip-based citizen ID cards to search for health insurance information. A lot of local people have integrated personal health insurance information into the identification database.

Illustrative image (internet)

To implement the Prime Minister’s Decision No 06/QĐ-TTg and facilitate local people in accessing health insurance-based medical examination and treatment services, the Ministry of Health requested heads of related bodies to work out plans and prepare sources to admit and provide medical examination and treatment services for those whose health insurance card code is already integrated into their chip-based citizen ID cards or the VNEID app.

Of note, medical facilities should publicise this practice so that the local people are aware of the services; and should have proper activities to provide the services for those whose health insurance card code is already integrated into their chip-based citizen ID cards or the VNEID app.

For patients with chip-based citizen ID cards:

When checking personal information through ID cards (QR code) or VNEID app, if patients have valid information related to health insurance participation, medical facilities should only verify and check health insurance information and admit patients according to current health insurance-based medical examination and treatment procedures; and should inform the patients that they can use the chip-based citizen ID cards or VNEID app instead of health insurance cards for future health checks and treatment.

When checking personal information through ID cards, if patients do not have valid information related to health insurance participation, medical facilities should clearly inform the patients that their health insurance cards have not yet been synchronised with the chip-based ID card and receive the patients according to current health insurance-based medical examination and treatment procedures (the patients have to show health insurance cards and ID documents with photos).

For patients with normal citizen ID cards: Medical facilities should receive patients according to the current health insurance-based medical examination and treatment procedures (the patients have to show health insurance cards and ID documents with photos).

The Ministry of Health required heads of concerned bodies to quickly study and pilot the replacement of health insurance cards with chip-based ID cards in line with temporary guidance stipulated in Document No 931/BYT-BH. The health ministry will work with the Ministry of Public Security and Viet Nam Social Security to soon introduce detailed technical guidance or the API (Application Programme Interface) to ensure synchronous implementation nationwide. 

During implementation, if there are any obstacles, shortcomings or comments, the concerned bodies should report to the Ministry of Health to have adequate settlement and response or to be reported to the Government, the Prime Minister and relevant ministries and sectors./.