Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan has just responded to the petition of voters of Vinh Long province before the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly.
Accordingly, voters in Vinh Long province expressed that health insurance examinations do not ensure the rights of patients, the list of health insurance medicines at the facility is very limited, and there is a lack of medicine when treating. Many patients who come to the clinic have diseases that require 5-6 types of medicine, but only 3-4 types of medicine are provided in health insurance, the rest the patients have to buy themselves, creating an additional burden of costs when going to the clinic and receiving treatment. Voters suggested that the list of health insurance medicines for hospitals be soon supplemented to help people and poor households when going to the clinic and receiving health insurance have enough medicine to treat, avoiding the situation where people have to buy medicine at outside pharmacies at high costs.
Responding to this content, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that Vietnam is considered one of the few countries in the world with a relatively complete, comprehensive and expanded list of drugs covered by the Health Insurance Fund compared to the health insurance premium.
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| People using health insurance to receive medical examination and treatment at K Hospital, Tan Trieu facility. (Photo: Do Thoa) |
Minister Dao Hong Lan said that regarding the list of modern medicines, Circular No. 20/2022/TT-BYT dated December 31, 2022 of the Ministry of Health promulgates the list and rates, payment conditions for pharmaceutical drugs, biological products, radioactive drugs and markers within the scope of benefits for health insurance participants, including 1,037 active ingredients/pharmaceutical drugs and biological products divided into 27 major groups and 59 radioactive drugs and markers.
Of which, most of the drugs are used in hospitals of level II or higher, level III hospitals use about 795 drugs, accounting for about 77%. Commune health stations use about 262 drugs, accounting for 25.26%, and some drugs are used to treat acute chronic diseases at the station according to the diagnosis and treatment guidelines of the Ministry of Health.
Regarding the list of traditional medicine drugs: Circular No. 05/2015/TT-BYT dated March 17, 2015 of the Ministry of Health promulgates and guides the list of oriental medicines, herbal medicines and traditional medicine ingredients covered by the Health Insurance Fund, including 229 oriental medicines, herbal medicines divided into 11 groups of effects and 349 traditional medicines divided into 30 groups of effects according to traditional medicine theory.
Of these, drugs are used in almost all hospitals; only a very few oriental medicines and herbal medicines are used in grade III hospitals or higher.
In addition, according to Minister Dao Hong Lan, the list of health insurance drugs in Vietnam is listed in the form of active ingredient/ingredient names, without content, dosage form and trade name, so the choice of finished drugs paid for by the Health Insurance Fund at medical examination and treatment facilities is not limited by the type of drug with cheap price or land, domestic or foreign drugs.
Based on the disease model, medical examination and treatment needs, professional capacity and payment capacity of the Health Insurance Fund, medical examination and treatment facilities develop a list of drugs used at the unit to purchase and select appropriate finished drugs.
In terms of expertise, the use of drugs at medical examination and treatment facilities must be consistent with the technical expertise and scope of professional activities of the medical examination and treatment facility (depending on the practicing staff, medical equipment, list of possible techniques, facilities, etc.).
Minister Dao Hong Lan said that to better ensure the rights of health insurance participants, the Ministry of Health is reviewing, amending and supplementing the list of health insurance drugs, with special attention paid to expanding the list of drugs for lower levels, especially at provincial, district and communal levels in line with the development of professional capacity; increasing the scope of drug dispensing for some chronic diseases at grassroots health facilities to meet the needs of treatment, medical examination and treatment and ensure the rights of health insurance participants./.
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