Vietnam Aims Health Insurance Coverage at 84.3% by 2020

The Vietnamese government has established a Decision to implement health insurance nationwide in the 2015-2020 period with a target rate of 84.3% coverage by 2020. According to the Decision, Vietnam is aiming at a rate of 75.4% of all population covered by health insurance by the end of this year [2015]. The rate will increase to 78% in 2016, and then 79.8% in 2017, 81.4% in 2018, 82.5% in 2019, and 84.3% in 2020. The government has assigned several provinces to achieve high rates of over 98% coverage such as Dien Bien, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen, and Son La. The authorities specifically asked local authorities to support 30% of insurance premium for poor households in order to raise the coverage rate. Meanwhile, according to the result of the implantation of the universal health insurance program as of end-2014, 71.6% of Vietnamese population was under insurance coverage. The fund paid up to 100% for cases of some poor households. (baochinhphu.vn Sept 15)