Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Health has proposed increasing the minimum health insurance contribution support from 30% to 50% for students from grades 1 to 12, according to a draft decree providing detailed instructions on the Law on Health Insurance.

Deputy Director of the ministry’s Health Insurance Department Vu Nu Anh said the State budget will need an additional 3.7 trillion VND (144.67 million USD) to raise the support level from 30% to 50%. The proposal will be submitted to the Government in the near future.

The ministry on March 27 held a conference to disseminate new regulations in the health insurance law and related decrees.

Anh said for university students, which currently number around 2.8 million, the support level will remain at 30%.

Some specific groups will enjoy 50% State financial support when participating in social insurance. These include village-based health workers, part-time workers in villages and residential groups, individuals participating in local security and order protection forces, victims of post-war bombs and explosives and individuals awarded the titles of 'People’s Artisan' and 'Meritorious Artisan' under the Cultural Heritage Law.

On November 27, 2024, the amended Law on Health Insurance was passed by the National Assembly, demonstrating a commitment to administrative reform, facilitating convenience for citizens, reducing paperwork, promoting the digital transformation and enhancing the effectiveness of health insurance policy implementation.

The revised Health Insurance Law will take effect on July 1, with certain key provisions applied from January 1, to ensure the timely payment for patients using health insurance services.

At the conference, Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Thuan highlighted several notable new policies in the amended Health Insurance Law.

The law revises participant categories, adjusts health insurance contribution responsibilities, modifies payment methods and deadlines, defines responsibilities for compiling the list of insured individuals and sets the validity period of insurance cards, he said.

Patients will have the right to choose their primary healthcare facility and be referred to other healthcare facilities flexibly based on medical expertise, he said.

They will also receive full coverage for medical services at any primary healthcare facility nationwide, full coverage for inpatient treatment at any basic-level healthcare facility nationwide and full coverage for services at any facility that was classified as a district-level facility before January 1. In cases of rare or critical illnesses, patients may be directly referred to specialised medical institutions.

Duong Duc Tuan, head of the Department of Social Insurance Implementation under the Vietnam Social Security, proposed enhancing resource use efficiency and fund supervision by implementing controlled payment methods, applying information ꧙technology, authenticating electronic data an🙈d enabling the inter-operability of diagnostic imaging and laboratory test results across medical facilities./.