In response to Can Tho voters' reflection on the shortage of drugs and medical supplies at medical examination and treatment facilities, causing people to buy them outside and not receive health insurance (HI), Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan spoke up to explain the cause and committed to promptly overcome it.
According to Ms. Lan, the Ministry of Health noted that the shortage of medicine and medical supplies occurred in some localities, affecting the rights of people participating in health insurance. This problem stems from two main reasons: difficulties in bidding and centralized procurement - especially the transition period between new legal regulations; and delays in approving portfolios, estimates, changes in technical instructions, or a temporary lack of supply from manufacturers.
The Ministry of Health is coordinating with localities to speed up the procurement progress, ensuring continuous supply of drugs and medical supplies for medical examination and treatment, especially for health insurance patients Ms. Lan affirmed.
From July 1, the officially amended Law on Health Insurance takes effect, allowing the transfer of drugs and medical equipment between medical examination and treatment facilities when local resources are not enough or not available. The Minister said that this new regulation will contribute to fundamentally solving the problem of patients having to pay for drugs and supplies outside the list.
In addition, the newly issued Circular 22/2024 also opens up a mechanism for direct payment to patients in cases where medical facilities cannot provide drugs or equipment as prescribed. The Circular specifically stipulates the conditions, scope and payment process, helping people with health insurance cards not to suffer losses when falling into force majeure situations.
However, the Minister noted: Not all cases of buying drugs and medical equipment outside are paid. According to Decree 188/2025, only drugs on the list of rare drugs, type C or D medical equipment (except for some exceptions) are eligible for payment, with the condition that the prescription and indication must meet all 6 mandatory criteria.
Currently, the whole country has more than 95.5 million people participating in health insurance, accounting for 94.2% of the population. In 2024, the number of health insurance examinations and treatments will reach more than 186 million, with a total expenditure of nearly 143,000 billion VND. Drug costs alone still account for the largest proportion in the health insurance fund, up to more than 31%.
