The introduction of the HI policy shows the Party and the State's commitment to ensuring fairness in public healthcare. Accordingly, the Party and the State's perspectives and orientations on universal health insurance have been institutionalized and integrated into daily life. The legal framework for HI has been regularly amended, supplemented, and perfected in line with each stage of socio-economic development. With the strong involvement of the entire political system, localities from the provincial to the communal level have established Steering Committees for the implementation of HI policies. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee serves as the Head of the Steering Committee, with the participation of relevant departments and agencies. The vast majority of citizens and businesses have complied with the HI policy in a timely and adequate manner, recognizing that HI participation is both a right and a duty, contributing to the sustainable expansion of HI coverage.

Illustrative image

The percentage of HI participants has steadily increased over the years. The healthcare infrastructure has been continuously expanded, and the quality of healthcare services has received significant attention from the Party and the State, leading to effective and specialized implementation, particularly in strengthening the grassroots healthcare system. Alongside expanding HI coverage and improving the quality of healthcare services, the HI fund has been safeguarded and sustainably grown over the years despite limited resources. Expenditure control, fraud prevention, and fund misuse mitigation have been reinforced; fund utilization has been optimized, ensuring financial balance while guaranteeing the rights of HI participants. Additionally, HI coverage has been expanded in terms of benefits payment levels and the list of medicines, medical supplies, and technical services covered by the fund, meeting the medical needs of  patients participating HI.

Notably, the policy allowing free movement between medical facilities under HI coverage has significantly improved convenience for participants. The HI fund has truly fostered a spirit of solidarity, sharing the financial burden between the healthy and the sick, the young and the elderly, and the high-income and low-income groups. In recent years, beyond covering routine medical expenses, the HI fund has provided financial support of up to billions of Vietnamese dong per year for patients with critical illnesses and rare diseases.

In addition to expanding healthcare benefits, HI participants have also gained access to numerous conveniences through administrative procedure reforms, digital transformation, and the implementation of Government Project No. 06. These initiatives have been prioritized by the Vietnam Social Security to enhance service efficiency for HI beneficiaries while preventing fraud and optimizing the HI fund. The positive outcomes achieved have reinforced the critical role of the HI policy in social life and the well-being of the people.

To successfully achieve the goal of universal health insurance, several synchronized solutions need to be implemented in the coming period:

Enhancing HI Coverage (Depth and Breadth): The legal framework for public healthcare in general and HI in particular should be reviewed and supplemented to ensure citizens' rights. Additionally, administrative processes related to HI medical services, bidding, hospital autonomy, and other relevant regulations should be simplified and digitized to create uniformity and convenience for healthcare facilities, citizens, and the Social Security agency.

Improving Service Quality: Further administrative reform and IT application in HI management are necessary. Although Vietnam Social Security has made significant strides in IT applications, better coordination with the national database managed by the Ministry of Public Security is necessary to enhance data sharing, transparency, and information security. Strengthening the integration between the Social Security database (which manages beneficiaries and HI payments) and medical facilities is essential to ensure citizens' rights in accessing healthcare services.

Building Public Trust in the HI Policy: Relevant government agencies, including the healthcare sector and Vietnam Social Security, must work closely to promptly resolve obstacles in HI medical examination and treatment service cost settlements. The healthcare sector must invest in improving overall healthcare quality, particularly for HI patients, while also ensuring fair compensation for medical professionals and improving patient care attitudes at healthcare facilities.

Ensuring Sustainable HI Development: Public awareness campaigns should be intensified using diverse communication approaches tailored to different target groups (businesses, organizations, workers, the poor, ethnic minorities, etc.). This will help maintain and increase HI participation rates and encourage long-term engagement with the HI system.

Strengthening Inspection: The enforcement of HI policies and regulations should be reinforced through frequent inspections and audits. Penalties should be increased for violations such as evasion of HI contribution, fund fraud, and other legal infractions related to HI.

By implementing these measures, the HI policy continue to be evolved and improved, ensuring broader coverage, better service quality, and sustainable financial management while fulfilling its mission of protecting public health and promoting social equity.