Viet Nam Social Security Deputy Director Pham Luong Son speaks at the conference 

According to the Ministry of Health, in 2019, health insurance coverage reached 90 per cent of the country’s population, exceeding the target assigned by the government. The healthcare sector achieved eight of 11 basic targets. The Ministry of Health has implemented and completed tasks of healthcare and population stated in resolutions of Central Committee of the Communist Party. The healthcare sector has ensured supplies of quality medicines, vaccines and medical equipment at affordable prices for medical examination and treatment, disease prevention and in case of disasters. It has promoted the centralised medicine procurement and piloted centralised medical supplies procurement to reduce medicine prices. IT has been applied in managing medical records, keeping track of personal health records, monitoring the health insurance fund and connecting medicine suppliers. The health sector has also implemented solutions to reduce the abuse of the health insurance fund and renew its financial mechanisms.

In 2020, the Ministry of Health sets general missions, solutions and targets such as reducing morbidity and mortality rates from diseases and epidemics and contributing to increasing people's life expectancy and improving basic health indicators. One of the most important targets is to improve capacity and efficiency of the healthcare system, setting a strong foundation to continue developing a just, effective, high-quality and sustainable healthcare system for people’s benefits. It aims to continue the reform of financial mechanisms and implement the roadmap for universal health insurance to increase the percentage of population using health insurance to 90.7 per cent by the end of 2020.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director Pham Luong Son said Viet Nam Social Security agreed with the direction of the Ministry of Health. He asked provincial branches of Viet Nam Social Security to work closely with local healthcare sectors to accomplish missions in 2020.

Updating and ensuring the legal basis of employment registration on portals of the Ministry of Health and departments of health in accordance with Decree No 146/2018/NĐ-CP and regulations of medical examination and treatment with health insurance are essential to make sure medical expenses provided for patients promptly examined and paid.

Moreover, due to complicated developments of COVID-19, Viet Nam Social Security has been collaborating with the Government and Ministry of Health in controlling and preventing the disease. The agency has directed its provincial branches to ensure funding for medical expenses in the first quarter and specific funding for the disease control and prevention. If localities want to set up separate funds for COVID-19 control and prevention, they will need to report to Viet Nam Social Security as soon as possible to file to its managing council and allocate funding sources in 2020 for disease prevention./.