On October 10, according to Vietnam Social Security, to ensure policy stability and sustainable development of health insurance participants, it is necessary to legalize and supplement to the draft revised Law on Health Insurance 2 groups of health insurance participants that have been stipulated in Decree No. 75/2023/ND-CP dated October 19, 2023 of the Government amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 146/2018/ND-CP dated October 17, 2018 of the Government (Decree No. 75) to ensure sustainable maintenance of participants, including:
1- People in safe zone communes and revolutionary ATK zones during the resistance war against France and the US have their health insurance paid for by the state budget.
Implementing Decree No. 75, 1.9 million people in ATK communes and revolutionary ATK areas during the resistance wars against France and the US have been granted health insurance cards according to Decree 75/2023/ND-CP. If this group of people is included in the draft revised Law on Health Insurance, people will be more excited and increasingly trust in the Party's policies and the State's policies. This is one of the institutionalized contents to recognize the contributions and gratitude of ethnic people in ATK communes and revolutionary ATK areas who have nurtured and supported the revolution during the resistance wars against France and the US.
2- Ethnic minorities escaping from areas with difficult socio-economic conditions or areas with especially difficult socio-economic conditions are supported by the State budget with 70% of the health insurance premium, for a support period of 3 years.
Implementing Decree No. 75, 1.5 million ethnic minorities are granted health insurance cards with the state budget supporting 70% of the contribution for 3 years; it is expected that according to Decision No. 861/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2021, about 600,000 ethnic minorities will escape from regions II and III in the next phase. Thus, about 2.1 million ethnic minorities will escape from regions II and III. In addition, ethnic minorities always have limitations such as: high poverty rate, trained labor level, lower educational level than the general level, complex terrain conditions, high risk of natural disasters, higher transportation costs... In addition, this is a strategic area, a fence of the country.
In addition, Vietnam Social Security believes that it is necessary to study the inclusion of a number of subjects participating in health insurance supported by the state budget and the contribution level in the amended and supplemented Law on Health Insurance, specifically: Subjects who are victims of post-war bombs and mines; Subjects who belong to households that have escaped poverty; Subjects who are elderly people from 65 years old and up to under 75 years old who are supported by the state budget to pay health insurance.
Regarding the subjects participating in health insurance for students, according to Vietnam Social Security, in order to provide comprehensive health care for students right from school health care, it is necessary to continue to regulate students to participate in health insurance at school.
Accordingly, it is necessary to abolish point d, clause 6, Article 13 of the Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Health Insurance: “d) In case the subjects participating in health insurance specified in clause 4, Article 12 are also subjects specified in point a, clause 5, Article 12 of this Law, they can choose according to the appropriate payment subject.” At the same time, it is recommended that the Ministry of Health study the plan to increase the level of state budget support for subjects participating in health insurance specified in clause 4, Article 12 of the Law on Health Insurance from 30% to 50%.
The group of participants specified in Clause 4, Article 12 includes those whose contribution levels are supported by the State budget, including students whose contribution levels are supported by the State budget at least 30% of the health insurance contribution level. Recently, implementing the provisions of the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the 2014 Health Insurance Law, the number of students participating in health insurance each year is higher than the previous year, the health insurance coverage rate for students is from 95% - 97% of the total number of students. In addition, the coordination in implementation between the Social Insurance agency and departments, branches, and educational institutions in the area is favorable, the management of students participating in health insurance is closely assessed.
Currently, the contents of the draft revised Law on Health Insurance are continuing to collect opinions from ministries, branches and experts; it is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly in October 2024.
