Expected free hospitalisation in both public and private hospitals

(Dan Tri) - The Ministry of Health has proposed that from 2030, a basic hospital fee exemption policy will be implemented; the exemption will apply to both public and private medical examination and treatment facilities.

On the morning of December 2, the National Assembly will discuss the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on a number of breakthrough mechanisms and policies for the work of protecting, caring for and improving people's health.

Previously, the Ministry of Health sent a report to National Assembly delegates on its plan to receive and explain opinions from the National Assembly Standing Committee, the review opinions of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs, as well as issues of concern to delegates.

Increase benefits and reduce co-payment rates for health insurance for priority subjects

Regarding the content of expanding health care benefits and reducing medical costs for people as stipulated in Article 2 of the draft resolution, the examining body, the Committee for Culture and Society, said that this content only regulates policy changes for health insurance participants and will be implemented according to the roadmap from 2027 to 2030 (applying a benefit level of 100% of medical examination and treatment costs within the scope of health insurance benefits).

A discussion session at the National Assembly during the 10th session (Photo: Hong Phong).

Therefore, the majority of opinions believe that it is only necessary to stipulate principles and assign the Government to study and submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval of amendments to the Law on Health Insurance in 2026.

Explaining, the Ministry of Finance said that Resolution No. 72 needs to institutionalize two policies: Exemption from hospital fees and reduction of medical cost burden for people.

Regarding the policy of free hospital fees, Resolution 72 of the Politburo defines the implementation roadmap from 2030.

According to the Ministry of Health, to implement the policy of free hospital fees, it is necessary to study many contents related to regulations on contribution levels, contribution support levels, benefit levels, scope of benefits, and mobilization of funding sources for the Health Insurance Fund.

There are policies that need to be researched, piloted, summarized and evaluated to ensure feasibility and resources for implementing the free hospital policy. At the same time, it is necessary to increase the health insurance premium from 2027.

The Ministry of Health finds that the proposal to immediately include the contents in the amendment of the Law on Health Insurance in 2026 does not ensure feasibility, science, and practicality. Therefore, the Ministry of Health proposes to stipulate in the Resolution the contents of a principle nature, which have not been regulated or are different from the Law on Health Insurance, to have a basis for the Government to stipulate in detail or carry out pilot research.

After piloting, summarizing, and evaluating to ensure feasibility, the Ministry of Health will propose amendments and supplements to the Law on Health Insurance.

Regarding reducing the burden of medical costs, from now until 2030, when the policy of exempting hospital fees has not been implemented, the Ministry of Health emphasizes the need to increase the benefit level and reduce the co-payment rate for a number of priority subjects...

Therefore, Clause 2, Article 2 of the Draft Resolution has proposed to reduce the co-payment rate and increase the benefit rate for some priority subjects such as people aged 75 and over receiving social pension benefits and people in near-poor households, some other subjects such as social policy subjects, disadvantaged people, low-income people and some other priority subjects...

This content is expected to be assigned to the Government to specify according to the fund balance roadmap. When the Government issues a Decree to increase health insurance contribution rates from 2027, it will determine the increase in benefit rates for other subjects.

Delegates attending the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly (Photo: Hong Phong).

In addition, the content of co-payment rates for subjects is currently regulated in Article 22 of the Law on Health Insurance, so it is necessary to institutionalize in the draft Resolution other legal content as a basis for implementation from 2026 and expansion from 2027.

The Ministry of Health believes that if the Government reports to the National Assembly Standing Committee, it will take more time to draft documents. If it waits until the Law on Health Insurance is amended, it will be slow and will not meet people's expectations of reducing co-payments immediately in the 2026-2027 period.

Expected free hospitalisation in both public and private hospitals

In addition, there are opinions suggesting that the Government clarify the content of "free hospital fees at the basic level" within the scope of health insurance benefits; clarify whether the increase in the benefit level within the scope of health insurance benefits is compared to the basic level or to what level.

To specifically determine the content of this policy, the Ministry of Health is developing a project to comprehensively study issues on contribution levels, benefit levels, scope of benefits, and funding sources to ensure policy implementation.

The Ministry of Health plans to propose that from 2030, it will implement a policy of exempting hospital fees at a basic level within the scope of health insurance benefits according to a roadmap suitable to the country's socio-economic development conditions, the balancing capacity of the Health Insurance Fund and the increase in health insurance contributions.

Doctor treats patient at Thu Duc General Hospital, HCMC (Photo: Trinh Nguyen).

The proposed regulation is that health insurance participants do not have to pay co-payments when going to primary health care facilities; do not have to pay co-payments when going to primary health care facilities (except for some diseases, technical services, drugs, medical equipment with high costs, etc.).

Notably, the Ministry of Health plans to implement the free hospital fee policy for both public and private medical examination and treatment facilities.

According to the Ministry of Health, the increase in benefits within the scope of health insurance benefits is compared to the current benefits of health insurance participants according to the provisions of the Law on Health Insurance.

This regulation aims to reduce the burden of medical costs for people, will be implemented from 2026 and does not depend on the implementation of the hospital fee exemption policy.

Regarding the organization of pilot implementation, diversification of health insurance packages, and supplementary health insurance according to people's needs, the Ministry of Health said that the draft Resolution clearly stipulates that the subject implementing this policy is provided by insurance enterprises according to people's needs.

The Draft Resolution has added a direction to organize a pilot implementation of diversifying health insurance packages, diversifying types of health insurance service provision and implementing supplementary health insurance provided by insurance companies according to people's needs when eligible.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/thoi-su/du-kien-mien-vien-phi-o-ca-benh-vien-cong-va-tu-20251201215947069.htm