Hospitals 'prefer' patients with health insurance over voluntary patients

(Baonghean.vn) - This is the information raised by leaders of several major hospitals in the province at the meeting on the morning of March 8, discussing financial autonomy in public hospitals organized by the People's Committee of Nghe An province.

Overview of the meeting on autonomy in public hospitals. Photo: Thanh Chung

Leaders of the Provincial General Hospital, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, and the Northwest Regional General Hospital reflect the current situation: There is a situation where doctors and nurses “prefer” patients with health insurance cards. The reason is that examining and treating patients with health insurance cards brings in higher income than examining and treating patients who voluntarily pay in cash and do not have health insurance.

The reason for this situation is that the payment of hospital fees in Nghe An is currently based on two legal documents. For patients with health insurance, hospital fees are paid based on Joint Circular No. 37/2015/TTLT-BYT-BTC regulating the unification of prices for health insurance examination and treatment services between hospitals of the same rank nationwide.

As for voluntary patients (without health insurance card), payment shall be made according to Decision No. 125/2014/QD-UBND dated December 31, 2014 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province on unit price of medical examination and treatment services at State medical examination and treatment facilities in Nghe An province.

Caring for patients at Nghe An General Hospital. Photo: Duc Anh.

In which, the unit price according to Decision 125 is lower than the unit price according to Joint Circular No. 37. Doctor CKII Nguyen Danh Linh - Director of the Provincial General Hospital compared: According to Decision 125 of the Provincial People's Committee, the price range for medical examination and health check-up at special-class and class I hospitals is 18,000 VND; According to Joint Circular No. 37, the price range for medical examination and health check-up at special-class and class I hospitals is 39,000 VND... Therefore, it creates a mentality that hospitals 'prefer' health insurance patients more. Patients voluntarily come to the hospital, which means they put their trust in the hospital. Therefore, the hospital has to compensate more to create fairness.

Responding to this issue, a representative of the Department of Finance said: After many years of unchanged hospital fees, in 2015, Joint Circular No. 37 was issued aiming to calculate hospital fees correctly and fully. Previously, to create conditions for hospitals to develop, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 125 with a new hospital fee level in the province higher than the old hospital fee level (before the time of Joint Circular No. 37).

Currently, the Ministry of Health is issuing a circular for guidance. Immediately after the circular is issued, the People's Committee of Nghe An province will soon issue an appropriate decision./.

Thanh Son