Improve student health insurance coverage rate

According to the Law on Health Insurance, students are required to participate in health insurance. This is not only a right but also a responsibility to comply with the law, demonstrating the spirit of “mutual love” in the community when contributing to share the risk with those who are unfortunate enough to have the disease.

Ngoc Lien Commune coordinated with Cam Thuy Social Insurance to organize a working conference with educational institutions in the area to propose key solutions to increase the rate of health insurance coverage for students.

The case of an 8-year-old child, the child of Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich in Hoang Phu commune, is a typical example. Having contracted the disease since he was 9 months old, he often had to be treated at large hospitals, each treatment costing tens of millions of dong. However, over the years, Ms. Bich's family only had to pay 20% of the cost, the remaining 80% was supported by the health insurance fund. Ms. Bich emotionally shared: "My child has been to the hospital a lot since he was a child. Fortunately, the health insurance card helps pay most of the costs, otherwise my family would have had a hard time treating him."

Another case is Trinh Tuong Vi, a student at Yen Thai Secondary School, Yen Truong Commune. Just entering the new school year, she had to be hospitalized to perform many high-tech tests with an estimated cost of up to tens of millions of dong. Trinh Dang Son, her father, said that although her son rarely gets sick, the family proactively buys health insurance every year. Now that her son has to be hospitalized for treatment, we can see the practical value of health insurance for students.

Expanding health insurance coverage in schools is considered an important measure to ensure fairness in health care, especially for children and students in disadvantaged groups and disadvantaged areas. In particular, from July 1, 2025, the State will increase the level of health insurance support for students to at least 50%. This is a correct and humane policy, demonstrating the determination of the Party and State in achieving the goal of leaving no one behind and building a comprehensive and sustainable social security system. According to the new policy, each student in the 2025-2026 school year will only have to pay a maximum of VND 631,800/year, saving an additional VND 252,720 compared to the previous school year. Many teachers said that this policy was positively received by parents, helping to reduce costs at the beginning of the school year and encouraging parents to register their children for health insurance more fully. At the same time, educational institutions also proactively coordinate with social insurance agencies to flexibly implement many methods of paying health insurance, creating maximum convenience for students and their families.

Thanks to the awareness of the great benefits of health insurance, many schools in the province have proactively and effectively implemented this policy. Ly Tu Trong Secondary School, Hac Thanh Ward, has maintained a 100% student participation rate in health insurance for many years. Principal of Ly Tu Trong Secondary School Le Thi Ngoan shared: Health insurance has a high sense of community sharing, very practical for everyone, especially for health care for students. Every school year, the school implements the right spirit of direction and always achieves a 100% student participation rate. Covering the rate of students participating in health insurance not only helps ensure the right to primary health care right at school, but also creates conditions for students to participate in health insurance examination and treatment with convenient procedures, access to many high-tech services, high costs, reducing economic pressure on the family.

In Ngoc Lien commune, as of November 17, 2025, the rate of students participating in health insurance reached 87.42%. However, the commune still has 589 students who have not participated; in particular, grade 1 has 92 students whose health insurance cards have expired since October 1, 2025 but have not re-participated. This poses many potential risks when students may not enjoy the right to timely medical examination and treatment in case of accidents or unexpected illnesses - situations that no one wants but can happen at any time. Comrade Pham Xuan Khanh, Vice Chairman of Ngoc Lien Commune People's Committee, said: Participating in health insurance is a legitimate right of students, and at the same time, it is the responsibility of families and the whole society in taking care of the health of future generations. The commune has directed schools to identify the implementation of student health insurance as an important political task, which must be carried out regularly, continuously and more drastically. The locality also assigned educational institutions to continue promoting communication, diversifying forms of parent mobilization; strengthening guidance and support for parents in the participation process to ensure that 100% of students in the area participate in health insurance and fully enjoy the benefits of primary health care and medical examination and treatment in accordance with regulations.

Mr. Vu Nguyen Hiep, Deputy Director of the Provincial Social Insurance, said: The Social Insurance continues to closely coordinate with the education sector, deploying student health insurance according to new regulations and ensuring all benefits for students. In the new school year, the goal is to have 100% of students in the area participate in health insurance. Increasing the level of health insurance support for students not only helps reduce the economic burden on parents but also has a profound meaning in strengthening the health insurance fund, towards the sustainability of the social security system. When students participate in large numbers, the principle of risk sharing between young people and the elderly, between healthy people and sick people is implemented more fairly and effectively. More importantly, the policy contributes to ensuring that all students, whether in urban or mountainous areas, whether from well-off or poor families, have the opportunity to access timely and safe health services, regardless of economic conditions.

With the participation of the education sector, social insurance agencies and schools, along with the consensus of parents and students, the goal of achieving 100% of students participating in health insurance in the 2025-2026 school year is completely feasible. This is not only a target in terms of ratio but also an important step towards better health care for the young generation, creating a solid foundation for their comprehensive development.

Article and photos by Ha Thu

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nang-cao-ty-le-bao-phu-nbsp-bhyt-hoc-sinh-270660.htm