Regarding the issue of overcoming the shortage of medicine and medical equipment, from the National Assembly corridors to the discussions at the 6th session, many National Assembly deputies have requested the Government to continue to solve the root causes of this problem.
National Assembly member Pham Khanh Phong Lan (HCMC delegation) said that the situation of patients having to buy medicine themselves still happens, thereby raising questions about the responsibility of health insurance (HI) in this issue. Ms. Phong Lan affirmed: "This is the right of the people and if we cannot provide it, it is our fault."
Speaking at the discussion, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Ngoc Xuan (Binh Duong delegation) also sent voters' recommendations to the Government, requesting continued direction to overcome the shortage of drugs and medical supplies. At the same time, she said that there should be a mechanism to reimburse people for costs when they have to buy medical supplies from outside, for those types included in the list of health insurance payments.
“The lack of medicine and medical supplies is not the fault of the people but of the State agencies. Therefore, the people need a mechanism to protect these legitimate rights,” delegate Ngoc Xuan sent voters’ opinions to the National Assembly.
Many delegates spoke up on this issue, saying that health insurance must be responsible for paying for treatment for people when they have to go to private hospitals for treatment when public health facilities cannot meet the demand. Is there enough basis and legal basis to do so?
National Assembly Deputy Pham Trong Nghia.
Speaking on the sidelines of the National Assembly, National Assembly Deputy Pham Trong Nghia - a full-time member of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, said that refunding money to people who have to go out to buy medicine and medical supplies is very necessary. Since the previous session, when discussing the issue of social insurance and health insurance, many delegates have been very interested and raised this issue.
According to delegate Pham Trong Nghia, there are many different reasons for this situation. However, the law stipulates that health insurance facilities must be responsible for ensuring that the correct drugs and medical supplies are listed. The health insurance facilities will be paid from the Health Insurance Fund.
“The main source of this fund is contributions from health insurance participants. In cases where health insurance participants have to buy medicine and medical supplies from outside, there needs to be a mechanism to pay and reimburse people, because they have to pay out of their own pocket to buy medicine,” said Mr. Nghia.
Mr. Nghia emphasized the financial burden because there are many cases where treatment costs are very high, from tens to hundreds of millions of dong.
“First of all, it is to ensure the rights of the people. This is a huge financial burden, especially for low-income people. It is very easy to lead to a situation where people become “impoverished” because of medical expenses,” said Mr. Nghia.
According to Mr. Nghia, if health insurance does not pay, people will lose confidence in the health insurance system. Moreover, when people participate in health insurance but are not guaranteed basic benefits, this will affect the goal of universal health insurance and will face difficulties.
Legally, Mr. Nghia said, according to the provisions of the Law on Health Insurance, there have been cases where the Minister of Health has decided to pay for special cases. Therefore, it is completely possible to apply this case to pay for people.
“This is an extremely necessary issue, with sufficient legal basis for implementation and determination to ensure the rights of health insurance participants,” the delegate emphasized.
Mr. Nghia said that solving this problem is not difficult. People can buy medicine and medical supplies outside at higher or lower prices, but they can be paid at the level that health insurance covers.
It is necessary to refund money to people who have to go out to buy medicine and medical supplies.
Explaining some issues raised by National Assembly deputies, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that the organization of drug bidding is currently implemented at all three levels. At the central level, Chinese national bidding accounts for about 16.5-18% of the total number of drugs nationwide. Local levels and medical facilities carry out the procurement themselves. The shortage of drugs, equipment, and medical supplies at public medical facilities has become more common after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides the objective causes mentioned above, there are also subjective causes, such as the inadequate system of related legal documents.
"The organization of procurement and bidding is still problematic, coordination between units during the procurement process is not timely and effective, especially there is a fear of making mistakes among some individuals, units and localities," said Ms. Lan.
In recent times, the Ministry of Health, ministries and branches have submitted to the National Assembly, the Government and the Prime Minister many synchronous solutions to remove difficulties, problems and obstacles related to the bidding mechanism for procurement, drugs and medical supplies.
The 2023 Bidding Law, which will take effect from January 1, 2024, will resolve and remove many problems in ensuring supply and implementing the procurement of drugs and medical equipment. Ms. Lan said that up to now, medical facilities have implemented these regulations .
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