Buying health insurance has become easier.

The Vietnam Social Security (BHXH Vietnam) recently issued công văn (official letter) No. 2085 dated June 8, 2015, to the Social Security branches in provinces and cities regarding the simplification of procedures for participating in health insurance.

This document aims to address the shortcomings in the family-based health insurance program that have been reported in the press recently.

The official document from Vietnam Social Security clearly states that, while awaiting guidance from the Ministry of Health on compiling lists of health insurance participants by household, Vietnam Social Security requires provincial and city social security offices to implement two measures.

Firstly, in the current period, those participating in family-based health insurance are not required to photocopy the health insurance cards of all family members; nor are they required to present temporary absence certificates, divorce certificates, or other documents that fall under the management responsibility of the commune-level People's Committee.

Secondly, this June, the Social Insurance agencies of provinces and cities need to disseminate information to the People's Committees at the commune level and fee collection agents to organize implementation, and at the same time widely inform each household about the procedures and locations for participating in health insurance, creating the most favorable conditions for all citizens to participate in health insurance on a household basis.

Previously, on March 12, 2015, the Vietnam Social Security issued Official Letter No. 777 guiding and standardizing regulations on participating in health insurance for households. This letter stipulated many cumbersome procedures, such as: when people want to purchase health insurance cards for their households, they must present notarized copies of their household registration book, temporary residence registration book, temporary absence registration certificate, death certificate, copies of health insurance cards of those already participating, certificates of residence abroad, and even divorce certificates…

Following media reports on these cumbersome procedures, the Ministry of Health issued a document requesting the Vietnam Social Security to amend and supplement Circular No. 777 to ensure uniformity in the implementation of family-based health insurance and avoid creating cumbersome procedures that affect people's participation.

According to Vov.vn