The Ministry of Health is seeking opinions on the draft Circular regulating health insurance (HI) payment for family medical examination and treatment, home examination and treatment, and remote examination and treatment. One of the notable new points is the proposal for the HI Fund to pay for home examination and treatment costs for some groups of patients with special care needs.
According to the draft, home medical examination and treatment is carried out when the medical examination and treatment facility has signed a health insurance contract and sends a doctor or medical staff to the patient's residence for examination and treatment. The residence can be a private house, a public social protection center or another location as prescribed by law.
Receiving this information, many people expressed their agreement and said that this is a proposal that is suitable for reality, contributing to creating more favorable conditions for people facing difficulties in accessing health services.
Having a mother over 80 years old, Mr. Chu Van Cuong (Dai Mo ward, Hanoi) said that he understands the inconveniences that many elderly people encounter every time they go to a medical facility for examination and treatment.
According to Mr. Cuong, for people with weak health or limited mobility, being supported by health insurance for medical examination and treatment costs at home will significantly reduce the burden for both patients and their families.
Moving to the hospital for the elderly is already very difficult, while children and grandchildren are also busy with work, and cannot always be picked up and dropped off. If the proposal is approved, it will be very practical, both reducing financial pressure and contributing to improving the quality of social security," Mr. Cuong shared.
Also expressing support, Mr. Le Quy Lan (84 years old, Nghia Do ward, Hanoi) said that he has diabetes and has to go to the hospital for monthly re-examination. Currently, his health is still stable, so travel has not encountered many obstacles.
I find the Ministry of Health's proposal very practical and suitable for the current medical examination and treatment needs, especially for the elderly. Currently, I can still take the bus to the hospital, but in a few years if my health declines, travel will be very difficult. At that time, if a doctor comes to my home for examination and health insurance supports payment, it will definitely reduce a lot of travel pressure as well as medical examination and treatment costs," Mr. Lan expressed.
According to Ms. Duong Thi Ly (72 years old, Ha Dong ward, Hanoi), this proposal is especially meaningful for the elderly with weak health or loss of mobility. Her husband is 88 years old this year and most medical examinations and treatments must be done at home because travel is very difficult.
If health insurance supports medical examination and treatment costs at home, it is very encouraging. I hope this proposal will be approved and implemented so that people in need, especially the elderly, can soon enjoy the policy," Ms. Ly shared.
The draft proposes 7 groups of beneficiaries of this policy, including: people with severe and especially severe disabilities; people aged 75 and over with limited mobility; people with mental illnesses who are unable to take care of themselves; people with chronic diseases with limited mobility or paralysis; patients in need of palliative care in the late stages of life; people who are receiving social protection benefits, wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, people with meritorious services being cared for at social protection facilities or nursing centers; children under 36 months old and elderly people without relatives taking care of them.
Not only are they personally examined by doctors, but subjects under this category are also reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund for costs of medicines, medical equipment, medical supplies, blood, blood products, medical gases, chemicals and related costs according to the scope of benefits and benefit levels of health insurance participants.
