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Insured patients hit for part fees
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Patients give health insurance details to a nurse at Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital in Can Tho City.

VietNamNet Bridge - More than 90 per cent of insured patients will have to co-pay for check-ups and treatments, according to the new health insurance law that takes effect on January 1.

Tong Thi Song Huong, director of the Ministry of Health’s Health Insurance Department, said patients with health insurance must pay part of the hospital fees, depending on the level or category of hospitals, and the kind of insurance policy bought.

Insured patients who are examined and treated in hospitals assigned under their policy must pay between 5 and 20 per cent of hospital fees. Those who use other hospitals must pay 30-70 per cent of the fees.

Cao Van Sang, head of HCM City’s Social Insurance Agency, said that retired officials, ethnic minorities, needy people and welfare recipients with poor health would pay 5 per cent of hospital fees.

Students, employees and others who are not obligated to buy health insurance will pay 20 per cent of the fee.

The nation’s health insurance fund will pay for children under six years old and people who have contributed to the revolution.

No co-payment will be required for examination fees that do not exceed VND97,500 (US$5.3).

Patients who received treatment and check-ups at hospitals in communes and wards would not be obligated to co-pay, Sang said.

Under the new health insurance law, insured people will be provided with health insurance cards with a new code.

Nguyen Minh Thao, head of the Viet Nam Social Insurance’s Health Insurance Evaluation Committee, said that nearly 50 million people nationwide currently bought health insurance.

For insured patients who are being treated during the printing period of the new cards, old insurance cards will still be effective until they are discharged from the hospital. For people who have not received new health insurance cards, social insurance agencies will provide a document that confirms the patient is waiting for a new card. Children without new cards will be allowed to use their birth certificates.

In HCM City, Sang said that new health insurance cards for retired officials would be sent to People’s Committees of their wards soon.

Most children under six years old and 1.1 million students in HCM City have received new health insurance cards.

VietNamNet/VNS