Cancer and kidney transplant patients waiting for transfer papers

Many cancer and kidney transplant patients are waiting for the new Health Insurance Law to take effect from January 1, 2025. From that point on, patients will be transferred directly to higher-level hospitals without needing a referral letter.

Bệnh nhân ung thư, ghép thận chờ đợi bỏ giấy chuyển viện - Ảnh 1. — Patients with health insurance at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

Many readers' comments responded to Tuoi Tre Online after the statement of Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen: People with cancer, why are they still forced to ask for a hospital transfer certificate?

According to Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, normally when people register for initial medical examination and treatment, they usually register at district-level medical examination and treatment facilities such as hospitals and district-level medical centers.

When transferring, the patient must be transferred from the district-level medical facility to the provincial general hospital and then to the central hospital.

This, according to Mr. Tuyen, is very time-consuming, while there are diseases that require immediate transfer.

Tears with hospital transfer papers

Many readers said this is a reality that has been happening in many places, causing patients to suffer and be upset.

Reader Nai Thanh Hoang: "My wife has breast cancer and asked for a referral to Ho Chi Minh City, but the local hospital refused. They said they would only issue a referral when treatment here was no longer possible. So the family had to pay for treatment without using health insurance."

Similarly, reader Ha shared: "In 2003, I was diagnosed with stage 4 nasopharyngeal cancer. Every time I went for a check-up, I had to ask for a referral from the district hospital to the provincial hospital.

It is worth mentioning that getting a referral letter is a whole process... So every time I go for a follow-up examination, I choose to pay 100% myself even though I clearly have a health insurance card."

Reader Vu Cam Van shed tears as she struggled to get a hospital transfer letter for her sister to be treated for ovarian cancer.

"The initial registered hospital could not perform the surgery, so they had to transfer him to a central specialized hospital. After the surgery, my brother was prescribed chemotherapy by the central hospital.

The central hospital agreed to continue treating the patient, but the local hospital refused to issue a transfer certificate. In the end, we had to accept treatment without health insurance."

Reader Huynh Chuong said: "Currently, many end-line hospitals still require patients with chronic diseases and cancer who are undergoing monthly medical examinations to have a referral certificate for health insurance examination and treatment by early 2025."

Reader Doan Thi Huong is looking forward to the day when the new Health Insurance Law takes effect from January 1, 2025, when people with rare diseases, serious illnesses... can go straight to specialized medical facilities for examination and treatment. People with cancer who have been treated at a central hospital only need an appointment to be examined and treated without a referral.

"So I don't have to run around asking for a referral for my mother anymore. Last year at this time, my mother was worried about whether she could get a referral so she could continue chemotherapy at K Hospital.

Just changing it so that patients who are still receiving treatment can continue without having to ask for a referral every year will reduce worries and costs for patients" - reader Thanh expressed.

Building a list of diseases that do not require a referral

Besides, there are many questions from readers related to the new Health Insurance Law.

Reader Nguyen Ngoc Lam asked: "I live in Hanoi, I currently have cancer and am being treated at Tan Trieu K Hospital. My referral for medical examination and treatment at K Hospital will expire on December 31, 2024. I wonder if according to the new law, I can continue to receive treatment here or do I have to re-issue the referral?"

"Are kidney transplant patients not included in the list of patients who do not need to be transferred?" - reader Nam Bui wondered.

Ms. Vu Nu Anh - Deputy Director of the Health Insurance Department (Ministry of Health) - said that the recently passed Health Insurance Law stipulates that in some cases of rare diseases, serious diseases... patients can go directly to specialized medical examination and treatment facilities without needing to request a referral letter and still enjoy 100% of the health insurance benefits.

Ms. Nu Anh explained that with this regulation, patients who have been diagnosed with rare, dangerous diseases, or diseases requiring high technology on the list issued by the Ministry of Health can go directly to specialized hospitals without needing to request a transfer letter as is currently the case.

"Currently, the Ministry of Health is building a specific list of rare and serious diseases that do not require a hospital transfer certificate.

This list must be calculated appropriately to avoid people rushing to the last line causing overload. The circular is expected to take effect on January 1, 2025," Ms. Anh shared.

According to current regulations, there are 62 diseases and groups of diseases that can be transferred to another hospital once a year. In particular, cases that are prescribed anti-rejection drugs after organ or tissue transplantation can request a referral every 12 months.

Organ transplantation as well as other diseases must follow the correct hospital transfer procedure.