Vietnam extends health insurance coverage

Vietnam will expand the scope of health insurance to include more preventive services and regular check-ups, in line with a recently approved action plan to introduce universal health insurance by 2030.

On May 13, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Trà signed a decree promulgating an action plan for the implementation of Directive No.52 of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee on the development of universal health insurance in its new phase of development.

The plan sets out concrete tasks and solutions to fully institutionalize the directive, while guiding ministries, sectors and local authorities in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies aimed at ensuring more effective health insurance coverage, with the goal of universal coverage by 2030.

One of the main thrusts of the plan is the gradual extension of health insurance benefits, in particular to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses.

From 2026 onwards, Vietnam will gradually increase reimbursement rates and spending on preventive care, early diagnosis and treatment, particularly for priority groups such as health insurance beneficiaries, low-income households and the elderly.health insurance beneficiaries, low-income households, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, to ensure the sustainable maintenance and extension of health insurance coverage, with the aim of completion by next March.

It should be noted that the health insurance fund will extend its coverage to include certain preventive services, nutrition-related care, chronic disease management, periodic check-ups and screening services according to professional needs.

To support this extension, the government will diversify funding sources and ensure the long-term viability of the health insurance fund. A pilot mechanism will be set up to mobilize additional resources, in particular by earmarking part of the tax revenues from tobacco, alcohol, beer and sweetened beverages to finance preventive health services, early detection and the management of non-communicable diseases. This policy should be finalized by the fourth quarter of 2028.

At the same time, health insurance contributions are set to rise from 2027, in line with the expansion of benefits, while maintaining and strengthening state support for underprivileged groups, particularly the poor.State support for disadvantaged groups, including the poor, low-income earners, the disabled and other vulnerable populations, in order to preserve coverage rates.

Efforts will also be made to improve the quality and capacity of health services covered by insurance. From the second quarter of 2027, systems for referring patients between different levels of care will be strengthened to reduce saturation of higher-level hospitals. Healthcare facilities are also encouraged to implement flexible discharge arrangements, including weekend and holiday discharges, to improve service efficiency.

The plan also calls for further digital transformation of the health insurance sector, including the application of information technology and artificial intelligence, as well as administrative reforms to improve the efficiency of service delivery and management.

To further reduce the financial burden on patients, Vietnam will experiment with direct support mechanisms for policyholders when accessing health care services.s when accessing medical services, with a particular focus on low-income groups and social assistance recipients. The authorities will also review and adapt reimbursement policies for medicines, medical equipment and technical services to bring them more in line with the fund's capacities.

The government aims to extend health insurance coverage to over 95.5% of the population by 2026, with a view to full universal coverage by the end of the decade.

Source: lecourrier.vn/