Residents with health insurance register for medical check-ups. Photo congly.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Government has urged cities and provinces nationwide to raise the health insurance coverage rate to 95.15 per cent by 2025.

Specifically, according to Decision 546/QĐ-TTg which has just been signed by Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam, the health insurance coverage rate is expected to increase from 92.6 per cent in 2022 to 93.2 per cent in 2023, 94.1 per cent in 2024, and 95.15 per cent in 2025.

The capital city of Hà Nội, HCM City, An Giang Province, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, Bạc Liêu Province and Bắc Giang Province must reach a health insurance coverage rate of over 90 per cent this year, according to the Prime Minister's requirement.

Việt Nam currently has covered 91 per cent of the population with health insurance.

The decision also said poor and near-poor households will be provided with free health insurance.

Localities should regularly review the information about labourers and enterprises’ salary payments and handle those evading paying health and social insurance premiums.

The Ministry of Education and Training has been assigned to ensure that all students will be covered with health insurance by 2023 and consider the health insurance coverage rate of students as a criterion to assess education institutions.

Việt Nam Social Security must urge localities to come up with solutions to increase the health insurance coverage. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health was asked to direct medical centres to improve their check-up and treatment quality, the attitude of medical workers to health insurance holders and fee payment processes of patients using health insurance.

The Government asked provincial and municipal people's committees to envisage solutions to achieve the aforesaid goals.

Health insurance was first introduced in Việt Nam in 1992.

Generally, insurance companies have tie-ups with the leading hospitals so as to provide cashless payment for the insured. In case the insurance company has no tie-ups with the hospital, they reimburse the cost of treatment incurred by the insured. The Government also promotes health insurance by providing a deduction from income tax. — VNS