Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan - Deputy Minister of Health, Chairman of the National Medical Council - chaired a meeting with Departments, branches under the Ministry, Institute, and School under the Ministry to generalally deploy the development of the Project on exemption of hospital fees for all people.
This is an important content to realize Resolution No. 72 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in people's health care, meeting the requirements of national development in the new era.
Representatives of the Health Insurance (HI) units, the Planning and Finance Department, the Ministry's Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, the Minister's Institute and Schools discussed the contents that need to be implemented and must be completed in September 2025 on drafting the Project on exemption of hospital fees for all people. In particular, specifically the goals, scope, subjects, theoretical framework as well as the experience of some countries in the world.
It is necessary to have the participation of relevant units in drafting the Project Development Plan framework, accompanying component reports, and issuing Official Dispatches asking for comments from units under the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and branches.
According to a report by the World Bank, hospital fees and tuition fees account for 30-35% of the total expenditure of poor households in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, according to statistics from the Vietnam Social Security, on average, the Health Insurance Fund pays 87-89% of the total cost of health insurance examination and treatment and health insurance participants are responsible for co-paying from 11-13%.
Thus, if hospital fees are exempted, it will contribute to eliminating the financial burden, helping people access basic healthcare services.
Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan said: General Secretary To Lam, in Notice 176-TB/VPTW dated April 25, 2025, affirmed that health is the most valuable asset of every citizen and of the whole society, the most important foundation for the happiness of everyone and the development of the country. Therefore, investing in protecting, caring for and improving people's health is an investment in the development of the country.
As the Standing agency drafting the Project, the Deputy Minister of Health assigned the Department of Health Insurance as the focal point, connecting units to urgently complete the Draft Project to submit to the Ministry's leaders; advising on the establishment of a Drafting Committee, including inviting experts, scientists, ministries, relevant sectors and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam;
Departments, Schools, and Institute advise on completing component reports on the practical situation of hospital fees payment, international service and cost models, reviewing relevant legal regulations and reporting on the impact of policies when promulgating the Project.
Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan affirmed: The Ministry of Health aims to promote the motto of caring for and protecting people's health above all, first of all, therefore, the Ministry has been studying and developing a Project according to the roadmap, at each level of expertise, scope, and scale with the goal of gradually reducing the burden of medical costs for people, moving towards free public hospital fees in the period from 2030-2035 and all people have health insurance cards to access, participate in and enjoy medical examination and treatment services.
