Health insurance accompanies students

In recent times, with the efforts of all levels and sectors, and the effective participation of schools, the health insurance policy has affirmed its important role in health care, being a companion of students throughout their time at school.

VThe role of health insurance in schoolslearn

Our Party and State have paid great attention and had many policies to support students in their studies.participate in health insurance.That is, providing free health insurance cards for poor students, ethnic minority students in mountainous, remote and isolated areas, students who are relatives of military officers, police officers, relatives of people with revolutionary contributions; supporting 100% of the contribution (from 2020) for students from near-poor households, supporting 30% of the contribution for other students. Thanks to the health insurance card, in addition to the right to have the health insurance fund cover the costs of medical examination and treatment, students participating in health insurance can also receive primary health care right at their school. This is also the outstanding advantage of the health insurance policy for students.

Nghe An Social Insurance presents health insurance cards to disadvantaged students in Vinh city. Photo: My Ha

In addition to the right of students to receive primary health care at schools, the right to medical examination and treatment at medical facilities is also guaranteed, helping them to have health and conditions to continue to return to study and practice. According to the synthesis of the provincial Social Insurance agency, in the 2020-2021 school year, the whole province had more than 245,000 students going to medical facilities for medical examination and treatment with a total amount of nearly 100 billion VND. Through health insurance, all students are entitled to benefits when they are at risk or sick and have to be treated at medical facilities nationwide.

Leaders of Nghe An Social Insurance presented health insurance cards to disadvantaged students at Hung Dong Primary School, Vinh City. Photo: Thanh Chung

In particular, some students with expenses of hundreds of millions of VND have been paid by the Health Insurance Fund, helping their families overcome difficulties such as the case of Le Dang Que Anh (Vinh city) with a payment amount of more than 566 million VND, Pham Thi Truc (Tan Ky) with a payment amount of more than 424 million VND, Nguyen Manh Cuong (Yen Thanh) with a payment amount of more than 226 million VND... These are all students with difficult circumstances, unfortunately having accidents or serious illnesses; the Health Insurance card is a talisman for them, adding confidence and motivation for their families to feel secure in treating their children.

Effortforce to cover 100% of students with health insurance cards

In recent years, health insurance work in the province has always been focused on and effectively implemented with the close coordination of 03 sectors: Social Insurance - Education and Training - Provincial Youth Union, as well as the participation of the entire political system. Therefore, health insurance work for students has achieved encouraging results, the rate of students participating in health insurance the following year is higher than the previous year. In the 2020 - 2021 school year alone, the whole province has 619,457 students participating, reaching a rate of 96.92%, an increase of 0.92% compared to the 2019 - 2020 school year. Of which, 398,886 students participated in health insurance at school, 220,571 students participated in health insurance under other subjects. According to statistics from the provincial Social Insurance agency, 17/21 units have done a good job of propagating and mobilizing students to participate in health insurance, so the rate of students participating is higher than the average of the whole province such as: Nam Dan, Thai Hoa, Do Luong, Tan Ky, Cua Lo, Hung Nguyen. In particular, Quynh Luu district has a sharp increase in the number of students participating in health insurance compared to the 2019-2020 school year with an increase of 5.06% (from 93.36% to 98.42%).

Vinh City students learn about health insurance for students. Photo: My Ha

Among these, Nam Dan has achieved 100% health insurance participation rate for 4 consecutive school years; Que Phong, Quy Chau, Ky Son, and Tuong Duong have maintained the health insurance participation rate for two consecutive school years and achieved the target assigned by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1167/QD-TTg with a participation rate of 100%. In addition, there are some schools located in special areas but the health insurance participation rate still reaches 100% such as Yen Thanh district has Hoang Ta Thon Secondary School; Nghi Loc district has Nghi Dien Primary School, Nghi Hoa Primary School; Hoang Mai town has Quynh Xuan B Primary School...

The 2021-2022 school year is forecast to be a particularly difficult school year as the Covid-19 epidemic is complicated across the country in general and Nghe An in particular, and there are also many potential risks of spreading the disease in schools. In the above situation, having a health insurance card is an important "shield" in difficult times, helping families and students to receive health care and protection at medical facilities in case of illness or disease.

Students of Hung Dong Primary School (Vinh City) learn about the Law on Health Insurance for Students. Photo: My Ha

In order for the health insurance policy for students to be truly effective, aiming at the goal that all students studying in the national education system must have a health insurance card according to the provisions of the Health Insurance Law and successfully implementing the goal of having 100% of students participating in health insurance in the 2021-2022 school year, the Provincial Social Insurance has also proposed many solutions.

Accordingly, the provincial Social Insurance will preside over and coordinate with relevant departments, branches, sectors, press agencies, radio stations and local authorities to strengthen propaganda and dissemination of the benefits, significance of health insurance and the responsibility to participate in health insurance of all classes of people according to the provisions of the Law on Health Insurance. In particular, focusing on extensive propaganda to the subjects of officials, teachers of the Education and Training sector, parents, students, and youth union members. This school year, in the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, propaganda will also be innovated and flexible with many forms such as: direct propaganda (meeting in person or organizing conferences...); indirect propaganda (sending messages via phone, via the VssID application, interacting via social networks Zalo, Facebook, online conferences...); visual propaganda (panos, posters, banners, slogans, standees...).

The Social Insurance sector also identifies that the health insurance policy in general, and the health insurance for students in particular, is a social security policy of the Party and the State, related to many levels and many sectors, so in organizing and implementing it, there needs to be attention and direction from the Party committee, local authorities, and close coordination between the Health sector, the Education sector, and school principals and departments, sectors and organizations. At the same time, it is necessary to continue to coordinate with the Education and Health sectors to develop and improve the quality of school health care: develop and supplement standards and content of school health care work, use the health care fund allocated to schools to provide primary health care for students at schools, and ensure human resources for school health care. This will also be an effective solution for parents and students to see the practical benefits of participating in health insurance./.