Lao Cai strives to develop health insurance, aiming for universal coverage

After the merger, Lao Cai province faces many new challenges in ensuring social security, especially expanding health insurance coverage to the people. With a large terrain, mainly mountainous areas, a large ethnic minority population, and difficult socio-economic conditions, the development of health insurance in Lao Cai requires the decisive, flexible and creative participation of the entire political system.

Lao Cai Provincial Social Insurance officers promote health insurance policies at Hoang Quoc Viet High School, Au Lau Ward.

By the end of October 2025, the whole province had 1,475,810 people participating in health insurance, reaching 93.42% of the plan assigned by the Vietnam Social Security, corresponding to a coverage rate of 88.21% of the population. Compared to the same period last year, the number of participants decreased by 57,418 people, partly reflecting the impact of administrative unit adjustments and changes in the target groups supported by the state budget.

However, with a proactive spirit, Lao Cai Provincial Social Insurance is implementing many drastic solutions to restore growth momentum and aim for the goal of 96.5% of the population having health insurance cards by 2025.

Accordingly, in October, the Provincial Social Insurance advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Official Dispatch 3386/UBND-VX on ensuring health insurance benefits for students and people participating in health insurance; at the same time, signed a coordination regulation with the Department of Health, and developed similar regulations with the Department of Education and Training and the Provincial Police, in order to increase efficiency in management, propaganda and implementation of social security policies.

Based on the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, Lao Cai Provincial Social Insurance issued Decision 462/QD-BHXH dated October 30, 2025, assigning targets for developing social insurance and health insurance participants to each unit and each officer. Working groups were established, closely following the locality to directly mobilize and coordinate with the commune, village and hamlet authorities to check each household without a health insurance card. The method of "going to every alley, knocking on every door, checking each subject" is being widely replicated and clearly effective.

Mr. Pham Cong Cuong - Director of Lao Cai Provincial Social Insurance

According to Ms. Ngo Thi Kim Thanh - Deputy Director of Bao Thang Social Insurance, the unit in charge of propaganda and mobilization to develop health insurance participants in 4 communes: Bao Thang, Gia Phu, Tang Loong and Xuan Quang, by the end of October, there were 114,149 people participating in health insurance, an increase of 7,924 people compared to the same period last year, reaching 94% of the plan assigned by Vietnam Social Insurance.

Ms. Thanh said: We always consider propaganda as the key step. Officials often go to people's homes, organize meetings, and explain the specific benefits of health insurance. In areas with a large ethnic minority population, the most important thing is to be persistent and speak so that people understand and believe.

In Xuan Quang commune, one of the areas managed by Bao Thang Social Insurance, the work of mobilizing people to participate in health insurance is being carried out very methodically.

Mr. Le Hoang Anh, a civil servant of the Department of Culture and Society of Xuan Quang commune, said: Some people shake their heads when they hear about insurance, or even refuse to accept it, but we are determined to be persistent, if people do not understand today, they will come back tomorrow. Thanks to that, the rate of health insurance participation in the commune has reached more than 92%.

Propaganda and mobilization work for people to participate in health insurance is carried out anytime, anywhere.

In fact, thanks to the perseverance and closeness to the grassroots of the Social Insurance staff and the grassroots political system, people in the highlands gradually consider the health insurance card as a "talisman" in health care. The case of Ms. Phung Nay Phau, Nam Cang village, Muong Bo commune is an example. Ms. Phau's family has 7 members, although she works in agriculture, every year she saves money to buy health insurance for the whole family.

Ms. Phung Nay Phau shared: After the staff came to my house to propagate, I understood and bought health insurance cards for my whole family. With health insurance, whenever I get sick, I can rest assured to go to the hospital for treatment without worrying about the cost.

With the motto "go to every alley, knock on every door", Bao Thang Social Insurance staff go to each household to propagate and mobilize people to participate in health insurance.

Accordingly, the development of health insurance in Lao Cai is shifting from “expanding coverage” to “improving quality and sustainability”. Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee identifies this as an important, long-term political task, linked to the goal of human development and ensuring social security.

The Provincial Party Standing Committee has issued a Plan to implement Directive 52 CT/TW dated September 26, 2025 of the Secretariat on strengthening health insurance work in the new situation, integrating health insurance targets into the socio-economic development program for the 2026 - 2030 period, aiming to cover all people with health insurance by 2030.

Lao Cai Provincial Social Insurance officers promote health insurance policies anytime, anywhere.

The Provincial People's Committee also issued many documents directing localities to accelerate the development of health insurance participants, especially in communes with low rates such as Hop Thanh, Khanh Yen, Vo Lao, Coc San, Duong Quy, Thuong Bang La, Ban Lau, Muong Bo...

From that orientation, authorities at all levels have quickly taken action, issuing many specific solutions to realize the goal of universal health insurance coverage. Each commune and ward People's Committee chairman is assigned to be directly responsible for the health insurance target, considering this as a criterion for evaluating task completion.

Along with that, departments, branches, sectors, unions - members of the Provincial Health Insurance Steering Committee coordinated with the Social Insurance agency to organize hundreds of dialogue conferences, propaganda, and dissemination of the amended Health Insurance Law, helping people understand their rights and obligations when participating. Many "smart mass mobilization" models were effectively implemented, promoting the role of Party cell secretaries, village heads, and the Front Working Committee in mobilizing members, union members and people to participate in health insurance.

Mr. Pham Cong Cuong - Director of Lao Cai Provincial Social Insurance emphasized: Provincial Social Insurance will continue to closely coordinate with departments, branches, Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, media agencies and localities in developing health insurance. Innovate the form and content of propaganda according to topics, focusing on potential groups and suitable to local characteristics. Organize dialogue conferences, propagate and disseminate the amended Law on Health Insurance so that people clearly understand the humanistic meaning, rights and obligations, and encourage people to actively participate in sustainable health insurance. In particular, coordinate with the Department of Education and Training, People's Committees of communes, wards and educational institutions to mobilize students to participate in health insurance. Strive for 100% of students to have health insurance cards in the 2025 - 2026 school year.

The health insurance policy is not only a financial tool to help people reduce the burden of illness, but also a vivid expression of the spirit of humanity and mutual assistance in society. With high political determination, close leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee and the synchronous participation of departments and branches, Lao Cai is gradually realizing the goal of universal health insurance coverage, towards a fair, quality, modern health system, for the health and happiness of the people.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/lao-cai-no-luc-phat-trien-bao-hiem-y-te-huong-toi-bao-phu-toan-dan-post886632.html