Nghe An: More than 93% of students participate in health insurance

(Baonghean) - In the 2016-2017 school year, Nghe An province had more than 510,000 students participating in health insurance, reaching a rate of more than 93%. Along with that, thousands of students who unfortunately had accidents or illnesses also had their medical examination and treatment costs paid.

Three months ago, Le Nguyen Minh Duc - a second grader at Thanh Giang Primary School (Thanh Chuong), unfortunately fell ill and had to be treated for a long time in the hospital. After nearly 15 days of medical examination and treatment, Duc's family received more than 10 million VND from the health insurance fund. Duc's parents said that for farmers like them, that amount of money was too much. Duc is one of more than 3,600 unfortunate cases of illness or accident but has had health insurance cover the cost of medical examination and treatment since the beginning of the year.

Health insurance examination at Nghe An Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Thanh Chung

Taking care of and protecting the health of students - the future owners of the country - is an important task in the career of educating people. Health insurance is a compulsory form of insurance applied to subjects according to the provisions of the Law on Health Insurance; including students studying at educational institutions in the national education system in order to take care of their health, not for profit purposes organized by the State.

The 2017-2018 school year is approaching, along with the change in the basic salary according to the Prime Minister's regulations, the contribution level of students has increased but not significantly. Implementing Decree No. 47/2017/ND-CP dated April 24, 2017 of the Government stipulating the basic salary from July 1, 2017 is 1,300,000 VND/month, accordingly, the monthly health insurance contribution level for students is specifically as follows: 4.5% of the basic salary equivalent to 58,500 VND/student/month. Of which, the State budget supports 30% so students only need to pay 40,950 VND.

Meanwhile, students participating in health insurance are issued health insurance cards with validity corresponding to the number of months of payment, are registered for initial medical examination and treatment at facilities from district level and equivalent or lower; are examined for early screening and diagnosis of a number of diseases according to regulations of the Ministry of Health as well as receive primary health care at school health facilities; and are treated with health insurance at health care facilities from district level and equivalent or lower.

However, when exceeding professional and technical capabilities, the patient will be transferred to another health insurance facility according to regulations on professional and technical transfers. In emergency cases, the patient can receive medical examination and treatment at any health insurance facility if he/she presents his/her health insurance card along with identification documents upon discharge from the hospital.

In particular, students will be covered 100% of medical examination and treatment costs when receiving medical examination and treatment at the commune level or the total cost of one medical examination and treatment is lower than 15% of the basic salary at all treatment levels. 100% of medical examination and treatment costs when participating in health insurance for 5 consecutive years or more and the amount of co-payment for medical examination and treatment costs in the year is greater than 6 months of the basic salary (equivalent to 7,800,000 VND), except in cases of self-treatment at the wrong level; 80% of health insurance medical examination and treatment costs for one medical examination and treatment with costs greater than 15 months of the basic salary.

The total cost of medical supplies for one use of technical services shall not exceed 45 months of basic salary (equivalent to VND 58,500,000) (implemented from June 1, 2017 according to the guidance in Circular No. 04/2017/TT-BYT dated April 14, 2017 of the Ministry of Health).

The health insurance policy is increasingly expanding, bringing practical benefits to the people, including students. However, in reality, there are still many difficulties in achieving the goal of 100% of students participating in health insurance as directed by the Prime Minister.

These difficulties include the economic conditions of Nghe An people, especially in rural and mountainous areas, and families with many children. Some localities have not really taken action but still consider this task to be the responsibility of the Social Insurance and Education sectors; some schools still consider the collection of health insurance as a collection for the Social Insurance sector and do not consider this as one of the political tasks of the school.

Health insurance examination at Nghe An Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Thanh Chung

To strive to have 100% of students participating in health insurance, from now until the end of the year, Nghe An Social Insurance focuses on a number of tasks and solutions such as coordinating with the Department of Education and Training to deploy health insurance for students at the conference to deploy tasks at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. Coordinate with the Department of Education and Training, the Provincial Youth Union to deploy inter-sectoral guidance on health insurance for students at the beginning of the school year. Coordinate with the Department of Health, the Department of Finance, the Department of Education and Training to review students from agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt-making households with average living standards, estimate the budget to advise the Provincial People's Committee to support the local budget, and submit to the Provincial People's Council.

At the same time, Nghe An Social Insurance also promotes propaganda work in many forms to reach the people. Along with that, strengthen coordination with sectors, localities and especially with schools; improve the quality of medical examination and treatment, service quality at medical examination and treatment facilities; continue to promote administrative reform, create the most favorable conditions for people, build the image of "Friendly, responsible" Social Insurance officers among the people.

Tien Hung