Health insurance 'talisman' of patients

"Support" in difficult times

Up to this point, being able to return to her children and grandchildren and reunite with her family is truly a miracle for Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong in Tan Phuc block, Vinh Tan ward (Vinh city).

Now 61 years old, Mrs. Huong has been a street vendor all her life, and has always been proud of her health. However, last year, when she started to have symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and went to the hospital, she was diagnosed with heart disease. As soon as the disease was discovered, the doctors advised her to have surgery so as not to affect her health. The first surgery was performed at a large hospital in Hanoi.

Nghe An Rehabilitation Hospital always improves its attitude towards serving patients. Photo courtesy of Duc Anh

“My mother was healthy, but when she got sick, she quickly and continuously declined throughout 2018. She had to be hospitalized in Hanoi in a serious condition, often having to go to the emergency room. At one point, her illness worsened and she had to undergo surgery. However, whenever surgery was mentioned, she refused because she loved her children and grandchildren, and was afraid that they would have a hard time and spend a lot of money. Understanding her worries, not only her family but also the doctors encouraged her, “You don’t have to worry, your health insurance will cover all your treatment costs.”

Ms. Hoang Thi Ha Lam - Mrs. Huong's daughter-in-law

After nearly a year in the hospital until she recovered and returned to normal life, Mrs. Huong's children and grandchildren calculated that the amount of money that the Health Insurance Fund paid for her in 2018 was over 250 million VND. Fortunately for Mrs. Huong, before she got sick, her children had bought her health insurance under the family health insurance program, so most of the costs were paid by the State.

Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital will routinely apply endovascular laser method to treat varicose veins at the hospital in the near future. Photo: Document

Although our family is all self-employed, we have voluntarily purchased health insurance for many years. When I bought it, I thought it was for “prevention” and that money was good wherever it went because if it couldn’t help me, I could help others. But when I got sick, I realized how important health insurance cards are, especially for working families like ours...

Ms. Hoang Thi Ha Lam (Vinh Tan, Vinh City)

Since the beginning of the year, hundreds of seriously ill patients in the province have been paid large sums of money by health insurance, with the highest amount being over 700 million VND. The list also shows that those who have to pay large sums of money are often those with serious and life-threatening illnesses, many of whom live in rural and mountainous areas where living conditions are still difficult.

Up to now, the rate of people with health insurance cards in the whole district has reached about 90%. This has greatly supported people in the process of medical examination, care and health protection... In 2019, Thanh Chuong district also called on units and businesses in the area to support more than 4,000 health insurance cards to give to poor households and households in difficult circumstances.

Ms. Van Thi Huong Giang - Director of Social Insurance of Thanh Chuong district

Raising public awareness of health insurance

It is estimated that by June 30, 2019, the whole province had 2,825,629 people participating in health insurance, reaching 89.5% of the population (exceeding 1.3% compared to the target assigned by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1167/QD-TTg dated June 28, 2016).

Currently, the provincial Social Insurance has also signed health insurance examination and treatment contracts with 60 medical examination and treatment facilities, including 17 provincial medical examination and treatment facilities, 43 district medical examination and treatment facilities and 484 commune medical examination and treatment facilities and equivalent.

In 2018, the Insurance industry resolved over 5 million 150 thousand health examination and treatment visits for people covered by health insurance with the amount of money the facilities requested to pay being 3,334.4 billion VND.

By participating in health insurance, people will benefit more when participating in medical examination and treatment. In the photo: In the hot weather, many parents bring their children to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital for medical examination and treatment. Photo courtesy of Thanh Chung

Currently, every day our hospital examines and treats about 2,000 outpatients and 700 inpatients. 95% of them are people with health insurance cards. Because the population is not high, the majority of people have average living standards, so when they are sick or ill, they have to rely on health insurance. From this reality, promoting and mobilizing people to participate in health insurance, moving towards universal insurance is a correct policy. Because, when participating, people will enjoy social security policies from health insurance revenue and receive a lot of support during the examination and treatment process at the facilities.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Truong - Director of Vinh City General Hospital

Health insurance is a form of insurance to provide health care for people not for profit and to ensure social security. Currently, most medicines and technical services are covered by the Health Insurance Fund when examining and treating patients in the right place. Therefore, although the contribution is not high, when unfortunately getting sick, including serious illnesses, with high costs, people participating in health insurance will be examined and treated carefully, regardless of rich or poor.

In particular, people with health insurance cards, when going to the right medical facility for examination and treatment, will have the Health Insurance Fund pay 80%, 95% or 100% of the cost of examination and treatment, depending on the target group.

Mobile propaganda parade on social insurance and health insurance policies. Photo courtesy of Thanh Chung

We will step up propaganda work so that people can see the significance and importance of health insurance and voluntarily participate to take care of their own and their families' health. The industry will, together with relevant agencies and units, strengthen coordination in inspecting and examining the implementation of health insurance policies and the implementation of professional regulations in medical examination and treatment to promptly detect and strictly handle units and individuals who violate health insurance regulations... to ensure the rights of all people participating in health insurance."

Mr. Le Truong Giang - Director of Nghe An Social Insurance