Efforts to achieve universal health insurance coverage

Expanding coverage and improving the quality of health insurance examination and treatment not only ensures people's right to health care but also creates a foundation for human resource development and building a progressive and civilized society. In the context of increasingly high requirements for population quality, Directive No. 52, dated October 3, 2025 of the Secretariat on implementing universal health insurance in the new period has provided major orientations, creating motivation for localities to implement more drastically and systematically.

Báo Lào Cai•02/12/2025

As a mountainous and border province with many ethnic minorities, the province has determined that the implementation of Directive No. 52 is both an urgent requirement and a long-term task, associated with the goal of building a "green, harmonious, unique, and happy" province. With a comprehensive, scientific approach and high political determination, the province is setting out specific steps to realize the goal of universal health insurance coverage by 2030.

Along with the propaganda work, the province has reviewed and integrated the goals of universal health insurance into the socio -economic development program for the period 2026 - 2030, multidimensional poverty reduction projects and social security, to ensure consistency and effectiveness in implementation. Health insurance in Lao Cai is entering a new phase: not only expanding the number of participants but also focusing on improving the quality of medical examination and treatment, reforming procedures and ensuring sustainability. By the end of November 28, the whole province had 1,492,057 people participating in health insurance, reaching a coverage rate of 89.18% of the population.

The above results show a strong change in awareness and responsibility of the entire political system.

In particular, the implementation of support policies according to the resolutions of the People's Councils of Lao Cai (old) and Yen Bai (old) provinces has brought about remarkable results. Specifically, in the period of 2021 - 2025, the two provinces have supported more than 72,000 near-poor people, the elderly, and ethnic minorities with special difficulties to participate in health insurance with a total implementation budget of nearly 20 billion VND.

Support policies from local budgets have contributed to increasing access to health services for tens of thousands of people, especially near-poor households, the elderly, ethnic minorities... These groups, without support policies, have a very low chance of participating in health insurance.
Ms. Pham Bich Van - Deputy Director of Lao Cai Provincial Department of Health.

“The health sector focuses on improving the quality of medical examination and treatment; increasing the application of big data, electronic medical records and connecting to VNeID; closely monitoring the health insurance fund to ensure transparency,” Deputy Director of the Department of Health Pham Bich Van emphasized.

To effectively implement Directive No. 52, Lao Cai province has identified a system of solutions throughout. First of all, the province has persistently created a strong change in awareness throughout the political system, ensuring that all levels and sectors clearly define responsibilities in implementing health insurance policies. In addition, the province has completed the Steering Committee for implementing social insurance and health insurance policies at all levels; clearly assigned tasks, and linked the responsibility of the head to the results of health insurance coverage.

Along with that, the province continues to review, supplement and perfect the policy of supporting health insurance contributions from the local budget for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, near-poor households, students, ethnic minorities and special subjects to ensure "no one is left behind". This is a key solution to remove financial barriers, create conditions for people to participate in sustainable health insurance, and ensure the principle of fairness in accessing health services.

The health sector focuses on improving the quality of medical examination and treatment under health insurance.

The health sector and the provincial social insurance sector focus on improving the quality of health insurance examination and treatment through reforming procedures, improving professional capacity, strengthening medical ethics and investing in facilities, especially at the grassroots health level. The province focuses on linking regular health check-ups, screening for non-communicable diseases with health insurance examination and treatment so that each person can have their health regularly managed, proactively preventing diseases rather than treating them.

For Lao Cai, Directive No. 52 is both an orientation and a driving force for innovation in thinking and leadership methods in people's health care. Recent practice shows that health insurance coverage in Lao Cai has maintained an upward trend; the quality of medical examination and treatment has been improved; service methods have become more modern and convenient; and people's trust in the health insurance policy has been increasingly consolidated.

In the coming time, the province will continue to promote the spirit of solidarity and responsibility of the entire political system; improve the effectiveness of inter-sectoral coordination; mobilize the participation of the Fatherland Front and mass organizations in propaganda and mobilizing people to participate in health insurance. Inspection and supervision work will be strengthened to ensure that policies are practical, targeted, transparent and effective.

With high political determination, close direction of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, drastic management of the Provincial People's Committee, synchronous coordination of sectors and consensus of the people, Lao Cai believes it will complete the goal of universal health insurance coverage by 2030, contributing to building a developed, civilized and happy society.

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