Official proposal from 2026 to provide free health check-ups for people once a year according to priority groups

The Government proposes that from 2026, free periodic health check-ups be conducted for people at least once a year according to priority groups and schedules.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan - Photo: GIA HAN

On the morning of November 17, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, authorized by the Prime Minister, presented a draft resolution of the National Assembly on mechanisms and policies to effectively implement Resolution 72 of the Politburo on a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health.

Spending about 6,000 billion VND on health check-ups for people

According to Ms. Lan, Resolution 72 stipulates 6 groups of tasks, including strong innovation in thinking and action in leadership, direction, and organization of the work of protecting, caring for, and improving people's health.

On the other hand, promptly perfect the institution, focus on improving the capacity of the health system, especially preventive medicine, primary health care, and promote the strengths of traditional medicine.

Improve medical ethics, develop quality and synchronous medical human resources, meet patient satisfaction and international integration.

Along with that, promote health finance reform and effectively and sustainably develop health insurance policies; make breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and comprehensive digital transformation in health care and promote private health development, mobilize and effectively use all resources for health development.

The Government Resolution notably includes a group of policies on reducing medical costs for people, including a policy from 2026 to conduct free periodic health check-ups at least once a year according to priority groups and roadmaps.

This proposal, according to the Minister of Health, is in line with the provisions stated in Resolution 72 on "implementing periodic health check-ups or free screening for people at least once a year according to priority groups and roadmaps" and the ability to balance the budget.

Specifically, the Government proposes that from 2026, people will be able to have regular health check-ups or free screening at least once a year according to priority groups and schedules.

Along with that, coordinate the activities of periodic health check-ups, free screening, health check-ups for students, occupational disease check-ups, health check-ups for workers according to regulations and health insurance medical examination and treatment to provide free medical check-ups and complete the creation of electronic health books for all people and assign the Government to determine appropriate funding sources for implementation.

Funding for implementing this policy comes from many different sources, including periodic health check-ups, businesses paying for employees according to regulations, health insurance funds, state budget...

Of which, the state budget for priority subjects is estimated at about 6,000 billion VND/year and can gradually increase according to the balancing ability.

Regarding free screening, funding is used from the national target program on health care, population and development for the 2026-2035 period.

Free hospitalisation at the basic level within the scope of health insurance benefits

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh - Photo: GIA HAN

Also in the submission, the Government proposed a policy of exempting hospital fees at a basic level within the scope of health insurance benefits according to a roadmap, in accordance with the country's socio-economic development conditions.

Accordingly, the Government proposes that from 2027, the benefit level within the scope of health insurance benefits will be 100% for near-poor households and elderly people aged 75 and over who are receiving social pension benefits.

The estimated funding source for implementing this policy is from VND 455 billion to VND 2,738.9 billion from increasing the benefits of groups of beneficiaries paid by the health insurance fund .

For this group, it is worth noting that the Government has proposed additional policies to allow pilot implementation and diversification of health insurance packages and supplementary health insurance according to people's needs.

The Government proposes that the National Assembly allow a pilot program and assign the Government to specify this policy when conditions are met.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chinh-thuc-de-xuat-tu-2026-kham-suc-khoe-mien-phi-cho-nguoi-dan1-lan-nam-theo-nhom-uu-tien-20251117091320359.htm