Student health insurance: A “shield” to protect health in the new school year

Student health insurance (HSI) is not only an important social security policy, but also a "shield" to protect the health and future of the young generation. New regulations from the 2025-2026 school year open up opportunities to increase health insurance coverage among students, but the problem is how to reach the goal of 100% student participation.

Many new regulations

The 2024 Law on Health Insurance and Decree No. 188 of the Government have stipulated many new contents for health insurance for students. Accordingly, when participating in health insurance, students are not only supported by the State with at least 50% of the contribution but also enjoy many practical benefits when they are sick. Accordingly, students studying at educational institutions in the national education system are all eligible to participate in health insurance, except for those who have been issued cards according to other groups (relatives of armed forces, poor households, near-poor households, etc.). In particular, students who previously participated in family health insurance will switch to participating in student health insurance at school to enjoy full primary health care benefits.

HCM City Social Insurance officials advise students on health insurance policies

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance, from July 1, 2025, the reference level for calculating health insurance will be adjusted to VND 2,340,000. The specific contribution levels vary between localities. In the Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong areas (previously), students paid 50% (VND 631,800/year), the state budget supported 50%; in the Ba Ria - Vung Tau area, students paid only 30%, the budget supported 70%, and by the end of 2025, the locality will continue to support an additional 20%... Notably, there are stricter regulations on the duration of health insurance cards. First graders are issued cards from October to December of the first year; 12th graders are reserved until December 31; final year students enjoy full benefits until December 31 of their final year.

The 2024 Law on Health Insurance stipulates that students are entitled to 100% of medical examination and treatment costs if they are examined and treated at the commune level; the total cost of one medical examination and treatment is lower than 15% of the basic salary (VND 351,000); and they have participated in health insurance for 5 consecutive years or more... In other cases, students are entitled to 80% of medical examination and treatment costs within the scope of health insurance benefits. When examined and treated outside the designated area, students are entitled to 40% of the costs when receiving inpatient treatment at a central hospital. Students are entitled to 100% of the costs when receiving inpatient treatment at a provincial hospital. Students are entitled to 100% of the costs when receiving outpatient and inpatient treatment at a district hospital.

Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance notes that in case students whose health insurance cards expire in the remaining months of 2025 or have not participated in health insurance before, they will only participate in paying health insurance for the remaining months until the end of 2025. Then, they will participate in health insurance according to the methods for the whole year of 2026. For students from near-poor households, according to regulations, they must participate in health insurance locally (the state budget supports 70%); if they have not participated in health insurance locally, they will participate in student health insurance at school. Students with health insurance cards belonging to other groups (relatives of police; military; cryptography; poor; near-poor...) if their health insurance cards expire and they do not continue to participate according to other groups, they will continue to participate according to the student group from the following month at the educational institution...

Bringing policy closer to students

In a recent report sent to the City Party Committee and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance proposed solutions to implement the targets of developing social insurance and health insurance in the area, including policies to develop health insurance for students. Currently, the rate of students participating in health insurance at some universities and colleges is still low, below 80%, even only reaching 50% - 60%. The main reasons are subjective psychology, not fully understanding the role of health insurance; some schools have not organized propaganda and mobilization work well; students face economic difficulties... Therefore, the Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance proposed that the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee direct the Party committees of universities and colleges to include health insurance content in resolutions and work programs for the school year; the rate of student health insurance participation reaching 100% is the competition criterion, and compulsory health insurance for students is included in the revenue at the beginning of the school year. At the same time, strengthen the role of the Youth Union and Student Association in volunteering to advise and support health insurance participation. Mobilize, support part of the premium, give health insurance cards to students in disadvantaged groups...

Recently, Vietnam Social Security has instructed its affiliated units and Social Security of provinces and centrally run cities to synchronously deploy activities of propaganda, consultation and answering questions about health insurance policies for students nationwide. With the goal of 100% of students participating in health insurance in the 2025-2026 school year, propaganda, consultation and answering questions about health insurance policies for students in the 2025-2026 school year are carried out to raise awareness of students and parents about the role, significance, rights and responsibilities when participating in health insurance; meeting the need for policy information.

Accordingly, the work of propaganda, consultation and answering questions about health insurance policies for students focuses on a number of content groups. Current health insurance policies for students, especially the support level from the state budget increasing from 30% to 50% from July 1, 2025; encouraging students at the end of the course to pay health insurance until December 31 of the last school year; benefits of participating in health insurance; participation process; introducing the VssID application - Social insurance number and utilities for searching, medical examination and treatment using electronic health insurance cards or chip-embedded ID cards. Responsibilities and rights of educational institutions in organizing the implementation of health insurance for students... Vietnam Social Security encourages the synchronous implementation of many forms of propaganda such as answering questions and consulting directly at schools, through digital platforms, on newspapers, radios, and grassroots loudspeaker systems.

In Ho Chi Minh City, recently, the Social Insurance Department under the Social Insurance Department of Ho Chi Minh City has conducted many activities to disseminate health insurance policies to students. In particular, Binh Tien Social Insurance Department in coordination with Ho Chi Minh City College of Economics and Technology organized 2 conferences to disseminate health insurance policies and laws to more than 600 new students in the 2025-2026 school year. At the conference, students were informed of the basic contents of the health insurance policy for students, the application of VssID; practical rights and benefits when participating in health insurance for students, and answered their questions about contents such as: contribution levels, payment methods, State support policies, benefits, benefits of participating in health insurance for 5 consecutive years, etc.

PROSPERITY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bao-hiem-y-te-hoc-sinh-sinh-vien-la-chan-bao-ve-suc-khoe-trong-nam-hoc-moi-post810513.html