Ministry of Health proposes to build additional health insurance package with many new benefits

On the morning of October 10, the Ministry of Health coordinated with the Vietnam Medical Association to organize a discussion on supplementary health insurance policies in the draft revised Health Insurance Law.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Trang, Acting Director of the Department of Health Insurance - Ministry of Health, the supplementary health insurance policy is one of the important points in Resolution 20, ensuring progress and international integration in policy making.

Ms. Trang said that supplementary health insurance applies to people who have participated in compulsory health insurance of the state, or are entitled to the payment level outside of health insurance paid by the current social insurance. Some benefits of the supplementary health insurance package are of an advanced nature such as the right to use drugs, medical services on demand, high-cost drugs not yet covered by compulsory health insurance, and health insurance users are allowed to choose their own medical facilities.

The nature of the package is that the enterprises provide health insurance and people with needs and conditions will participate. Supplementary health insurance will ensure that people with average income can participate, ensuring better benefits and coverage. Currently, many countries have such supplementary health insurance packages.

Ms. Trang also said that commercial health insurance is mainly a contract between the participant and the enterprise, implemented according to the insurance business law established by the companies themselves, and the participants must also choose. The companies all choose to sell to healthy people, with the tendency to want to pay within the scope of benefits for the enterprise.

Meanwhile, the supplementary health insurance package is clearly defined by the state in terms of benefits, Vietnam Social Security, medical facilities and insurance companies will link information to make payments faster. Participants can choose to sign a supplementary health insurance contract that is commensurate with the contribution level and benefits they will receive. Companies will not be able to choose their customers as before.

According to Master Hoang Anh Tuan, Department of Health Insurance, the purpose of the supplementary health insurance package is to build health benefit packages beyond the scope of health insurance payment. The goal is to increase benefits, reduce out-of-pocket expenses of patients, so that patients can access better services, and even choose service providers.

The scope of payment of the package does not overlap with the scope of benefits and benefit levels of compulsory health insurance. The State encourages organizations and individuals to purchase and support the purchase of supplementary health insurance, and encourages organizations to implement supplementary health insurance according to the non-profit principle.