In fact, many hospitals have not yet bid enough drugs and medical supplies; patients, even with health insurance, still have to buy more from the list. The rate of people's out-of-pocket spending is currently around 40% - a figure classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as high and poses a potential risk of many households falling into poverty due to illness.
Another problem is the difference between regions: Many urban areas have reached more than 95%, but remote areas, or informal labor groups are still very low. Overall, the coverage rate is high but there is still more than 4% of the population - equivalent to about 5 million people - without health insurance, most of whom are in the vulnerable group. The mentality of "waiting for procedures", "waiting for procedures", "not seeing it necessary" along with the lack of effective communication has caused health insurance to not really come into life as an essential need.
Permanent Deputy Minister of Health Vu Manh Ha said that Vietnam has made many advances in health care, with the health insurance coverage rate in 2024 of over 94%, the medical examination and treatment network is increasingly expanding and service quality is improved.
However, the biggest challenge at present is that people's out-of-pocket spending is still about 40% - a high level according to WHO's recommendation, creating a risk of poverty due to disease, especially for the poor, vulnerable groups and long-term patients.
In that context, the policy of gradually moving towards hospital fees exemption is considered necessary, both demonstrating the humanity of social security policies and ensuring the right to health care for people.
Ms. Tran Thi Trang, Director of the Department of Health Insurance (Ministry of Health) informed: Currently, the health insurance contribution rate is 4.5% of the basic salary, but the Ministry of Health believes that if the benefits are expanded and the hospital fees are exempted, it is necessary to amend the Health Insurance Law and adjust the contribution rate to ensure payment capacity.
In 2024, the whole country will have 183.6 million medical examinations and treatments, an increase of 9.7 million compared to 2023; health insurance costs are nearly 140,000 billion VND, an increase of 15%. People still have to cover more than 40% of medical expenses, while grassroots health facilities have not fully met the needs of primary care and disease screening.
