No more partial free drug support program
According to Circular 16/2026 of the Ministry of Health, effective from July 10, the partial free drug support program will no longer be applied. Instead, there is only the form of completely free drug support.
Unlike before, drug support programs no longer have to ask the Ministry of Health for content approval before implementation. Pharmaceutical business establishments and hospitals only need to sign a written agreement to implement.
Drug support must be based on the capacity of the pharmaceutical business establishment, and at the same time ensure that no money is collected, no commercial conditions are attached, and it does not affect the selection of treatment methods or the prescription of reasonable, safe, and effective drug use.
For people with health insurance cards, the Health Insurance Fund will not pay for the medicine that has been supported free of charge.
Expanding health insurance benefits when outpatient examination is out of line
From July 1st, health insurance participants will be paid 50% of the benefit level by the Health Insurance Fund when undergoing outpatient examination outside the tuyến at some qualified medical examination and treatment facilities.
The policy applies to basic-level medical examination and treatment facilities previously identified as provincial or central levels; basic-level facilities with a total professional competency assessment score of 50 to below 70 points (except for facilities that were district-level before January 1, 2025); and specialized facilities previously under provincial or equivalent levels.
Allowing revelation of fetal gender in 137 medical cases
Circular 11/2026 of the Ministry of Health, effective from July 1, stipulates that 137 cases of the disease are allowed to notify and disclose the gender of the fetus for diagnosis and treatment.
This list includes many genetic diseases such as hereditary retinal dystrophy, hereditary iron globular monocyte anemia, hereditary factor VIII deficiency...
Bringing HPV vaccine into the Expanded Program on Immunization
According to Circular 13/2026/TT-BYT, from July 1, HPV virus diseases are added to the list of diseases requiring vaccination in the Expanded Program on Immunization.
Supplementing HPV vaccine not only contributes to preventing cervical cancer in women but also helps prevent diseases related to HPV virus in men.
The Expanded Immunization Program has included 13 diseases that require compulsory vaccines or biological products, including hepatitis B, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella and Japanese encephalitis.
Decentralizing the authority to license medical examination and treatment practice to localities
From July 1st, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee will carry out all procedures related to medical examination and treatment practice licenses, including new issuance, re-issuance, extension, adjustment, suspension and revocation of licenses.
The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also has the authority to reissue or adjust the operating license of a private hospital in some cases such as changing working hours or changing the name and address but not changing the operating location.
In addition, from this time on, the issuance of certificates confirming the content of health protection food advertising is also decentralized to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. Previously, these procedures were under the authority of the Ministry of Health.
Supplementing cases of compensation from the State when complications occur after vaccination
According to Article 50 of Decree 165/2026 of the Government, from July 1, people subject to compulsory vaccination if they are disabled due to severe adverse events after vaccination will be compensated by the State with 30 times the base salary at the time of settlement.
The State also pays medical examination and treatment costs for cases of post-vaccination complications that have not been paid by the Health Insurance Fund.
If the vaccinated person dies, the State will pay funeral expenses according to regulations and compensation for mental damage worth 100 million VND.
State supports postgraduate training in preventive medicine
According to the 2025 Law on Disease Prevention, effective from July 1, the State will support postgraduate training in the field of preventive medicine to develop disease prevention human resources.
Students at public educational institutions in the health sector are fully supported with tuition fees and living expenses throughout the course.
For learners at private educational institutions in the health sector, the State supports tuition fees and living expenses according to regulations.
Supporting women giving birth and increasing maternity leave when giving birth to a second child
According to Decree 168/2026, from July 1, women who give birth to one of three groups including very small ethnic minorities, living in localities with a birth rate below the replacement birth rate or having two children before the age of 35 will receive a minimum financial support of 2 million VND.
If they simultaneously belong to many groups of subjects, people who give birth to children will only receive one level of support.
Also from this time, female workers who give birth to a second child are entitled to 7 months of maternity leave, an increase of one month compared to current regulations. Male workers whose wives give birth to a second child are entitled to 10 working days, double compared to before in case the wife gives birth naturally.
Increase allowances for duty, surgery and support for grassroots medical staff
From July 15, the 24-hour on-duty allowance for medical staff is adjusted up from 70,000 to 325,000 VND per shift, depending on the rank and type of medical facility.
For surgical allowances, the main surgeon, anesthesiologist or chief anesthesiologist receives from 100,000 to 560,000 VND per case. The surgical assistant or anesthesiologist receives from 60,000 to 400,000 VND per case, while the surgical assistant receives from 40,000 to 240,000 VND.
In addition, village and residential group health workers and village and hamlet midwives are entitled to a monthly support regime equal to 0.5 or 0.7 times the base salary according to regulations.
