In a petition sent to the health sector after the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, voters from many provinces such as Ben Tre, Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Binh Dinh... reflected the difficulties in the cost of buying health insurance cards for students .
Voters in Lam Dong province said that currently, the cost of buying health insurance cards for students is still high, so some households have difficulty accessing it, while this group is young and has a low rate of medical examination and treatment.
"We suggest considering adjusting the price of health insurance cards for students to create favorable conditions for parents, especially for ethnic minorities in the locality who want to buy insurance for their children," Lam Dong voters suggested.
Meanwhile, voters in Dong Nai province proposed considering compulsory health insurance for students to reduce costs for poor families.
Ben Tre voters reflected that one of the most obvious shortcomings is that the health insurance premium for school students is currently higher than the premium for family members when participating together. Therefore, voters proposed allowing students to participate in health insurance as a family to reduce some of the cost of buying health insurance.
Responding to these recommendations, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that the current health insurance contribution rate is 4.5% of the basic salary. The Minister affirmed that with the "relatively complete" scope of health insurance benefits, the current contribution rate is considered low compared to countries with similar socio-economic development conditions.
According to Vietnam Social Security, the number of people participating in health insurance is more than 95.5 million, reaching 94.2% of the population. Photo: Pham Hai
To encourage and support people to participate in health insurance, in Decree No. 146/2018 of the Government, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 75/2023 and the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Health Insurance (new), the levels of health insurance contributions and support have been prescribed for groups of subjects such as meritorious people , the poor, the near-poor, ethnic minorities, people living in areas with particularly difficult economic conditions, agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt-making households with average living standards.
Why can't students buy health insurance for their family?
Regarding the proposal to allow students to participate in family health insurance , the Minister of Health said that he has advised the Government to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and amendment of the Law on Health Insurance in the direction that: People who buy health insurance at school are students (group 4) and can switch to buying as a family (group 5).
"However, to ensure management by group of subjects and stable implementation of health insurance policy for students, this group will continue to pay according to group 4," the Minister of Health said on March 12.
Health insurance premium for students. Photo: Vo Thu
In addition, in Decree No. 75/2023, the Government stipulates that the Provincial People's Committee may, based on the local budget capacity and other legal funding sources, submit to the People's Council of the same level to decide on a level of health insurance contribution support higher than the minimum support level for the prescribed subjects; at the same time, provide additional support for subjects who are not eligible for support and have difficulty in continuously participating in health insurance.
Proposal to re-regulate the time for first purchase of health insurance card
Also related to the health insurance card, Bac Lieu voters reported that when purchasing health insurance for the first time, the time to use the card is 30 days after purchase. According to voters, such a time is "too long, affecting the rights of the buyer".
Therefore, voters of this province proposed to review and re-regulate the time for using the card earlier in medical examination and treatment, this is to increase the persuasiveness of propaganda and mobilization of people to participate in health insurance of localities.
Responding to this proposal, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan in a document dated March 12 said that according to the provisions of Point a, Clause 3, Article 16 of the Law on Health Insurance, for groups participating in health insurance for the first time, the card's validity period is stipulated as follows:
- For the group paid by employees and employers, the group paid by social insurance organizations and the group paid by the state budget, the health insurance card is valid from the date of payment.
- For groups receiving state budget support for payment (including people in near-poor households, students), groups participating in family health insurance (except for groups paid by employees and employers, groups paid by social insurance organizations and groups paid by the state budget), or groups participating in health insurance intermittently for 3 months or more in a fiscal year, the health insurance card is valid after 30 days from the date of payment.
"This regulation aims to ensure continuous participation in health insurance, limiting the situation of only participating in health insurance when sick," said Minister Dao Hong Lan.
According to the Minister of Health, with current regulations, most people participating in health insurance for the first time can use their health insurance cards immediately from the date of payment, except for cases that are subject to the 30-day waiting period as mentioned above. However, the head of the health sector also said that he "acknowledged the voters' recommendations and will continue to study and propose to competent authorities for consideration and decision".
Vietnamnet.vn
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bo-truong-y-te-phan-hoi-kien-nghi-dieu-chinh-gia-mua-the-bhyt-cho-hoc-sinh-2380220.html
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