Legislators oppose health insurance fee hike

Lawmakers opposed an item in a draft bill that could force Vietnamese to pay higher mandatory health insurance fees at the National Assembly’s most recent two-day debate. Most legislators said the proposed increase on compulsory health insurance fees would prevent residents from obtaining proper health care. In Vietnam, workers are put under the compulsory health insurance program, which requires a monthly fee of 3 percent of the employee’s salary. This amount is jointly paid by the employee and his or her company.

According to a government report presented by Minister of Health Nguyen Quoc Trieu, the proposed increase to 6 percent of the employee’s salary was meant to balance the national insurance fund, which runs an annual deficit estimated at VND2 trillion (around US$123 million). A report prepared by the National Assembly Committee on Social Affairs suggested capping the fee at 5 percent of the employee’s salary. The report said two percent should be paid by the worker and three percent by the employer. “I agree with the committee’s report, considering that the salaries of state employees aren’t very competitive,” said Deputy Nguyen Thi Sang, who represents Tien Giang Province.

Instead of doubling the fees to balance the national insurance fund, Deputy Nguyen Thanh Tam of Tay Ninh Province asked government agencies to make companies pay their employees’ full insurance fees. According to the Ministry of Health, only 50 percent of workers actually pay their insurance fees. Deputy Luu Thi Chi Lan of Vinh Phuc Province suggested the government increase the fees at a slower rate. According to deputy Rcom Sa Duyen from Gia Lai Province, the Ministry of Health should provide a guideline of all costs paid for by insurance so that patients do not run up bills on unnecessary treatments. The draft bill also suggests putting students on a mandatory health insurance starting in 2010 while covering farmers, fishermen and family businesses on the compulsory program by 2014.

Health insurance for these groups is currently voluntary. Most legislators supported the government’s goal of insuring 100 percent of its citizens, but said the government must increase its funding for those under the poverty line and others who cannot, by any means, pay insurance fees. Assembly members also asked that patients be allowed to use their health insurance card at all hospitals nationwide instead of only the one specified on their cards. “No one wants to pay hundreds of thousands of dong traveling to the required hospital just to receive some tablets for their cold,” deputy Tran Hong Viet said. According to the government report, about 42 percent of the country’s population is covered by health insurance.

news source : http://www.thanhniennews.com/