Health insurance policy aims at sustainable poverty reduction

Currently, 100% of poor households nationwide have been granted free health insurance cards. In the period 2021-2025, more than 15 million poor people have been examined and treated with health insurance cards, contributing to ensuring people's right to health care, realizing the goal of sustainable social security, and aiming at sustainable poverty reduction.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , since 2022, Vietnam has officially applied a multidimensional poverty standard, taking into account both income and the level of deprivation of basic social services (health, education, housing, clean water, information). This is considered a step towards international practice, in line with the approach of the World Bank (WB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Thanks to this new approach, in the 2021-2025 period, Vietnam has achieved many important achievements in sustainable poverty reduction. Specifically:

The national poverty rate will decrease from 5.2% in 2021 to 1.93% in 2024, exceeding the target assigned by the National Assembly .

The poverty rate among ethnic minorities decreased by an average of 4.45% per year, demonstrating the spillover effect in the most disadvantaged areas.

More than 1.3 million poor and near-poor households have received policy credit loans to develop livestock, crops, and services.

More than 90,000 poor households received support to build and repair houses, and over 2,500 new essential infrastructure projects were invested in, improving the quality of life for millions of people.

Along with the work of sustainable poverty reduction in recent times, health policies, especially health insurance, have become a "pillar of social security", helping millions of poor households confidently overcome difficulties and escape poverty sustainably.

100% of poor households nationwide are given free health insurance cards.

Vietnam Social Security gives health insurance cards to people in difficult circumstances.

According to statistics from the Vietnam Social Security, by the end of 2024, 100% of poor households nationwide had been granted free health insurance cards. In addition, the State supported 70% of the premiums for near-poor households; many localities have mobilized additional resources from the budget and philanthropists to support the remaining portion, helping people participate in health insurance with 100% support.

In the 2021-2025 period, more than 15 million poor people have been examined and treated with health insurance cards, contributing to ensuring the right to health care for all people and achieving the goal of sustainable social security.

Along with that, more than 11,000 national standard commune health stations have created favorable conditions for people to access quality medical services right in their localities.

Thanks to that, the burden of medical expenses - the leading cause of people falling back into poverty - has been significantly reduced. People, especially poor households and the disadvantaged, can rest assured about medical examination and treatment, taking care of their health so that they can continue working, developing production, and stabilizing their lives.

In order to continue promoting the role of health insurance policy in supporting the poor, recently, Vietnam Social Security issued Plan No. 2716/KH-BHXH to launch the program "Giving health insurance cards to people in difficult circumstances, bringing a warm Tet to the poor in the Spring of Binh Ngo".

The program is deployed throughout the system, aiming to donate health insurance cards to the poor and disadvantaged people on the occasion of Lunar New Year, associated with the goal of "social insurance and health insurance for all people" set by the Party and State.

Priority beneficiaries are the near-poor, ethnic minorities, students, people affected by natural disasters, storms, floods, people in difficult or especially difficult circumstances...

Vietnam Social Security also requested its affiliated units and Social Security of provinces and cities to increase propaganda, mobilization and connection with businesses and philanthropists to participate in the program.

With the spirit of timely implementation, ensuring the granting of health insurance cards to the right subjects and in accordance with the law, immediately after receiving support funds from businesses and philanthropists, the Social Insurance of the provinces will organize the granting of health insurance cards to people in difficult circumstances in the area and complete before November 30, 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoa, Deputy Director of Vietnam Social Security, emphasized: “Each health insurance card is not only a 'passport' to help people access health services, but also a shield to protect them from the risks of illness and medical costs, and is an effective tool in sustainable poverty reduction. Vietnam Social Security hopes that through this program, the spirit of sharing and mutual love will spread widely in the community, contributing to the realization of the goal of social security for all people.”

Health insurance is not only a financial support policy, but also a pillar of the social security system in the multidimensional poverty reduction strategy. However, in the implementation process, this policy still faces many challenges, such as regional disparities, uneven health resources, or the fact that some target groups are still not fully covered.

Information from Vietnam Social Security shows that by the end of September 2025, the number of people participating in health insurance was 92.34 million, reaching a coverage rate of 91.1% of the country's population.

Faced with this reality, the Party and State continue to affirm the goal of developing a fair, effective, high-quality and sustainable health system, with health insurance at the center. Reducing people's out-of-pocket expenses and increasing access to health services, especially for vulnerable groups, is the key orientation in the coming time.

An important step forward is Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on exempting basic hospital fees for all people, considered a turning point in humane health policy, creating a solid "security shield" for the people, especially the poor and those in difficult circumstances.

On October 17, 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee also discussed the draft Resolution on breakthrough mechanisms and policies in protecting, caring for and improving people's health, with many priority policies for low-income people.

According to the draft, from 2027, people in near-poor households and people aged 75 and over who are receiving social benefits will be paid 100% of medical examination and treatment costs within the scope of health insurance benefits. At the same time, the Government will pilot additional insurance packages to meet the diverse needs of the people.

Focus on vulnerable groups

Along with poverty reduction, Vietnam always pays special attention to social security policies covering all vulnerable groups. Currently, the country has more than 2.5 million elderly people receiving monthly pensions and social insurance benefits, nearly 1.9 million elderly people receiving social benefits, 95% of elderly people have health insurance cards. The system of more than 544 social assistance facilities, including 73 specialized facilities for people with disabilities, victims of bombs and mines, and Agent Orange, is operating effectively.

The State also supports 100% of health insurance premiums for the poor, near-poor, ethnic minorities, meritorious people, children under 6 years old, and the elderly, contributing to ensuring that all people receive health care when needed. This is also one of the main results and targets to be achieved by 2025 in the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2021-2025 period, aiming to contribute to solving the shortage of health services, by ensuring that 100% of people in poor and near-poor households are supported to participate in health insurance.

Achievements in health insurance policy in recent times have affirmed that health insurance is not only an effective health and social security policy but also an important contribution to sustainable poverty reduction, with the goal of "leaving no one behind".

According to Nhan Dan Newspaper

 

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202511/chinh-sach-bao-hiem-y-te-huong-toi-muc-tieu-giam-ngheo-ben-vung-d331ad9/