On September 21, a source from Lao Dong Newspaper at the Central Highlands General Hospital confirmed that kidney stone surgery using a laser machine will cost patients VND1,303,000/time. This amount includes expenses for equipment wear, procedures, electricity and water).
In this case, if insurance is paid, patients will be supported to pay 80% of the cost for each treatment. The remaining amount was paid by the patient. There are some cases of retirement, policy... who are entitled to 100%.
The above expenditure is not included in the cost of hospital beds, medicine, meals, etc., all of which must be paid by the patient.
If insurance is not paid, patients will fully cover all treatment costs, which will result in additional costs.
In particular, in the case of endoscopic stone carving after consultation, the price does not have much difference.
Patients with laser kidney stone surgery can recur and be treated. From there, costs can arise, causing difficulties for many cases with limited finances, not to mention the waste of time and effort.
As Lao Dong reported, the Central Highlands General Hospital only has one stone laser machine and this device has been determined to be broken since November 2023.
However, the unusual thing is that since then, the unit has recorded nearly 500 patients having kidney stones.
Mr. Nay Phi La - Director of the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Health - said: "This is a very serious incident. In this case, it was not a professional mistake. Here, hospital staff have declared and falsified the kidney stone surgery records and show signs of insurance fraud".
Regarding the incident, 2 officials at the Central Highlands General Hospital have been suspended from work.
