HÀ NỘI -- Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam has asked the Việt Nam Social Insurance and Ministry of Health to take action and ensure that at least 90 per cent of the population is covered by health insurance by 2020, as per the Prime Minister’s goal.

The Deputy Prime Minister made the request at a conference held yesterday in Hà Nội to boost the implementation of the health insurance programme for the period 2016-2020.

He said it was especially important that the Government bravely adjusted the health insurance target set by the National Assembly from 80 per cent to 90 per cent.

Deputy PM Đam also stressed the importance of a solid insurance scheme, saying it was the foundation of a powerful social welfare system that would help consolidate a progressive nation.

Việt Nam Social Insurance should authorise its local health insurance units to co-operate with local people’s councils and people’s committees in implementing the national health insurance programme to meet its target, Đam said.

“If the number of people joining health insurance system reaches 100 per cent of the population and insurance rates rise, it would help boost the financial reform of the health insurance system as well as the whole health care system,” he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government, Việt Nam Social Insurance and Ministry of Health agreed to provide a management service package with the application of basic information technology in healthcare facilities nationwide to help boost the connection in healthcare activities.

He said all hospitals must be computerised so as to fundamentally improve healthcare services. Connecting healthcare data and the verification information system is an important step towards complete computerisation, he said.

Data system goes online

A health care data portal and an information system for health insurance eligibility verification were launched yesterday, a move to computerise the medical sector in Việt Nam.
Director General of Việt Nam Social Insurance Nguyễn Thị Minh said her sector has worked with the Ministry of Health to pilot a system connecting the data of medical facilities at the central, provincial, district and communal levels in Thái Nguyên Province, Bắc Ninh Province and Hải Phòng City.
The computerisation of medical examinations, treatment management, health insurance eligibility verification and payments has seen initial positive results. It has created a breakthrough in administrative procedure reforms, helping to better ensure insurance buyers’ interests.
She said almost all medical facilities serving health insurance buyers in the 63 provinces and cities have connected with the information system for insurance eligibility verification on a trial basis.
The online system helps search for information about health insurance card holders and their treatment records, thus saving time and expenses, Minh noted. — VNS