The level of health insurance coverage nationwide has exceeded the target set by the National Assembly.

As of 2018, more than 83.5 million people, accounting for 88.5 per cent of the population, had joined the scheme.

The Government’s report in 2019 shows 89.8 per cent of the population (about 85 million people) hold health insurance cards.

To achieve the target of health insurance coverage, the Vietnamese Government has ordered the Ministry of Health to work with the Ministry of Finance, Viet Nam Social Security and relevant ministries and sectors to study proposals for the supplements and amendments to health insurance legal documents.

The ministries and sectors have also been requested to direct the implementation of amended health insurance law to accelerate the universal health insurance scheme and lift difficulties when the law is enforced.

It is compulsory for the public to join the health insurance scheme. The fund collection is reduced for households joining the scheme. People working for the army and police or those living in areas with extremely underdeveloped socio-economic conditions or in island communes and districts will have their health insurance payment covered by the State.

Joining the health insurance scheme protects the health of the card holders themselves, their families and community. Illustrative Photo

In spite of high health insurance coverage percentage, the Government’s report shows that there remain difficulties and hindrances.

Although the dissemination of information on health insurance policies is one of the important tasks, a number of Party committees and local authorities have not paid due attention to the work and regarded it as the specific task of the social security sector.

The dissemination methods are not appropriate, leading to low efficiency.

The public have not fully understood health insurance policies and the importance of health protection for themselves, their families and their community.

In a majority of localities, employers still evade or delay insurance payments.

The quality of health check-up and treatment covered by health insurance has not satisfied patients, especially those at local health facilities.

In order to increase the number of health insurance card holders, the Government aims to step up dissemination work on health insurance policies with changes in methods to attract the public.

The Government will continue to improve the reform of administrative procedures, apply information technology to simplify procedures and remove unnecessary requirements to create favourable conditions for those who want to apply for the scheme.

It also aims to develop the system of health insurance and social insurance collection agencies towards professionalism and friendliness, as well as propose increasing remuneration for the agencies to encourage them to call for public participation.

The Government will step up inspections of facilities that violate health insurance policies and laws and impose strict penalties, while at the same time improving quality of health check-up and treatment covered by health insurance to satisfy patients, especially those at local health facilities; and addressing difficulties while implementing health insurance policies in order to ensure legitimate rights of involved parties./.