[health-vn] Towards universal healthcare

[Vern Weitzel]

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02HEA150409

Towards universal healthcare

(15-04-2009)

Nation’s healthcare system still has a long ways to go, says World Bank conference.


A doctor gives a check-up to a child at the healthcare centre of Son Diem 
Commune in Ha Tinh Province’s Huong Son District. Communal healthcare is part of 
a goal to make health insurance coverage and healthcare universal in Viet Nam by 
2014. — VNA/VNS Photo Huu Oai
HA NOI — Viet Nam faces great challenges in achieving universal health insurance 
by 2014, said health minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu.

At a conference co-organised by the World Bank recently, the minister said that 
the health insurance system in the country was still underdeveloped with only 44 
per cent of the population having health insurance.

"The goal of expanding health insurance to the whole population will be 
impossible without a comprehensive and overall method," he said. d

Health insurance was first introduced in the country over 15 years ago, and the 
rate of the population with insurance has increased steadily over the years.

There are various types of health insurance in Viet Nam, such as compulsory 
insurance, voluntary insurance, insurance for poor people.

Increases in the number of health care centres and range of health services for 
communities has also contributed to the development and popularisation of health 
care and health insurance.

However, there are a variety of reasons and obstacles that have limited the 
expansion of health insurance usage to the whole population.

Many business and enterprises have not bought health insurance for their 
workers, despite Government regulations making it compulsory.

There are also problems in the implementation of health insurance due to 
inconsistencies and lack of comprehensive guiding documents, especially when it 
comes to hospital fee policies or the organisation of local health care systems.

Despite greater access to care in many areas, the availability of health care 
services is also still limited in remote and rural areas, which means fewer 
health insurance users in those areas.

According to a 2008 World Bank report on Financing and Supplying Health Services 
in Viet Nam, the country’s health insurance system is facing three main 
challenges: expanding the usage to wider population, developing the services to 
reduce the people’s own expenses and cutting down other expenses.

New hope

The National Assembly approved a new Law on Health Insurance last November, 
finding that updates to former regulations would help develop the health 
insurance system to help finance the health care system and also bring more 
benefits to the people.

The new law stipulates that health insurance will become compulsory for everyone 
by 2014, but that there will be different policies for different groups. There 
are 25 different categories for people depending on their income levels, and 
various amounts will be paid for the insurance.

The amount people will have to pay for health insurance each month is 6 per cent 
of their wages, which is double what was stipulated previously. The national 
budget will pay wholly or partially the health insurance fees for the poor and 
underprivileged.

Services covered by health insurance are also to increase as available funds 
increase. The country’s health care service system also needs to be more 
developed and expanded to meet with the people’s demand.

In the Politburo’s recent health review, it was suggested that the Government 
promote the establishment of private and co-operative hospitals and health care 
centres, and to continue support and investments into State-owned facilities.

This would help increase options available when healthcare needs arise.

Trieu said the Ministry of Health was currently working with relevant agencies 
to publish guiding documents in order to effectively implement the new law, as 
well as finding ways to encourage more people to buy health insurance. — VNS