Vietnam Targets 90% Health Insurance Coverage by 2020

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has proposed a target of 90% of the population to have health insurance by 2020 at a government portal over the weekend, local media reported. Speaking at the event, Mr. Phuc stressed that a well-developed country must have a good health care system, stating that health insurance coverage is one of the key factors in welfare policy. In order to realize the target, PM Phuc has allowed health insurance agency to use abundant fund of Vietnam Social Insurance Agency starting this year instead of waiting for further planning. The prime minister also ordered the Ministry of Health to direct hospitals and healthcare facilities to improve their service quality for citizens with health insurance. Deputy Director of Vietnam Social Insurance Agency Nguyen Thi Minh pledged to the government that they will develop a computer-based system to monitor health insurance payment in 14,000 healthcare facilities nationwide before June 30. Earlier this year, Vietnam has adjusted prices of over 1,900 healthcare services. Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kiem Tien said that this move reduced the burden on the budget allocated for healthcare. Ms. Tien said that the ministry will continue adjusting the healthcare price to urge people apply for more insurance.  Meanwhile, as of end-2015 there were 76.5% of Vietnamese holding health insurance. The preliminary figure earlier this year showed that there were 70.8 million people enrolling in the program, up 0.83 million from 2015. The country aims to have 78% of population holding health insurance by the end of this year. (Thoi Ban Ngan Hang – Banking Times June 6 p2, vnexpress.net June 4, vtc.vn June 3)