Universal health insurance - an opportunity for people to access health services equally

According to statistics, the rate of people participating in health insurance (HI) in our country has increased significantly each year. By 2024, the whole country had more than 94.2% of the population, equivalent to about 95.5 million people participating in HI, approaching the goal of universal HI. The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Health Insurance Law adds 8 contents, bringing many important changes to ensure the rights of HI participants and medical examination and treatment facilities, expected to resolve practical problems, has been approved by the National Assembly and will take effect from July 1, 2025.

Accordingly, health insurance participants can register for initial medical examination and treatment at any primary or basic level medical facility nationwide, without being limited by administrative boundaries. In addition, the list of drugs covered by health insurance will not be divided by hospital class, but all drugs in the list will be allowed to be used, in accordance with the scope of professional activities and treatment instructions, without being limited by hospital class or technical expertise level.

Notably, the new Law stipulates the referral of medical examination and treatment, helping patients to be transferred directly to higher levels without the need for referral procedures as before when suffering from rare diseases, serious diseases or surgeries requiring high technology. In addition, health insurance participants are entitled to 100% of the costs of initial medical examination and treatment nationwide, when receiving inpatient treatment at basic health insurance examination and treatment facilities and when receiving medical examination and treatment at any basic or specialized medical facility that has been identified as a district level by the competent authority before January 1, 2025.

Along with that, the proportion of expenditure for medical examination and treatment from the health insurance fund increased to 92%, expenditure for reserve and organization of health insurance activities decreased to 8%, of which at least 4% was reserved for the reserve fund. The health insurance fund will also pay for services such as: medical examination and treatment, remote support, family medicine, home examination and treatment, rehabilitation, periodic pregnancy check-ups and childbirth...

Also from July 1, 4 more groups of people will be supported with health insurance premiums, including: people in multidimensionally poor households; near-poor households; People's Artists, Meritorious Artists and victims (according to the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking 2011).

In addition, participating in health insurance will help people feel more secure when they have health problems or suffer from incurable or dangerous diseases. On the other hand, it is necessary to encourage people to have regular health check-ups, if they have diseases, they will be treated promptly, minimizing serious illnesses and high treatment costs later. Expanding the number of people participating in health insurance also contributes to creating a fairer society when everyone has the same rights and obligations in health care.

One of the reasons why health insurance has not yet covered the whole population is that awareness about health insurance is still insufficient and incorrect. Many people are still afraid to participate in health insurance due to lack of information or misunderstanding of their rights and obligations. Some people even think that this is unnecessary, especially when they are young and healthy.

In addition, financial issues are also a major barrier as many freelancers or people in rural, remote and isolated areas have low incomes and cannot afford health insurance fees. Therefore, there should be appropriate financial support policies for this vulnerable group to encourage them to participate.

Therefore, the Social Insurance Agency needs to coordinate to strengthen communication andeducation activities to raise people's awareness of the benefits of health insurance. Propaganda programs should be organized regularly, especially in remote areas where people lack information about health insurance; organize campaigns, divide into small groups according to the model of "Going to every alley, knocking on every door" to propagate and mobilize people.

Notably, it is necessary to review, update, and classify potential subjects and vulnerable groups who have not participated in health insurance by locality; coordinate with party committees at all levels, departments, branches, socio-political organizations and unions to mobilize cadres, party members and members to actively promote and encourage relatives, friends and neighbors to participate in health insurance; expanding health insurance participants is an important and necessary task in building a fair health care system. Only when everyone has equal access to health services can we build a healthy and developed society.

Universal health insurance is an opportunity for people to access health services equally. However, to achieve universal health insurance, it requires the cooperation of the political system, community responsibility and Vietnam Social Security to bring the value of health insurance - a golden card to protect the health of oneself and one's family.

VH. Source: Vietnam Social Security

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/xa-hoi/bao-hiem-y-te-toan-dan-co-hoi-de-nguoi-dan-tiep-can-dich-vu-y-te-mot-cach-binh-dang-130140.aspx