Humanity from health insurance card

Effects of health insurance card

With the guidance of the policy officer, we went to Mr. Nguyen Kim Thuc's house in Block 2, Tan Ky town. Mr. Thuc has congenital heart disease and is often sick. Last July, when he was in critical condition, he was transferred to a higher level for treatment at the 108 Military Central Hospital, where he was prescribed mitral valve surgery and aortic valve surgery with a total cost of more than 233 million VND. Thanks to his participation in health insurance, the insurance fund covered 100% of the cost.

Talking to us, Mrs. Tu Thi Tam, Mr. Thuc's wife, could not hide her joy: "The family is in financial difficulty, but his illness requires a huge amount of money. Without insurance, the family would be helpless. I think the health insurance card is very meaningful to everyone, especially a poor family like ours."

Ms. Lang Thi Ninh was born in 1990, in Cua hamlet, Nghia Hoan commune (Tan Ky). Although she is young, she has chronic kidney failure. In 2016, when she discovered her serious illness, her family was devastated because they did not know where to get money for treatment. Fortunately, the social insurance agent at the commune came to her house to inform her family about the humane policy of Vietnam Social Insurance, which is that the social insurance still accepts her health insurance application when she knows she has the disease. This is different from other types of commercial insurance. While borrowing money from everywhere to treat her, the health insurance card is a lifebuoy. With the health insurance card, each time she goes for medical examination and treatment, her expenses are reduced by 80%.

However, during the two years of 2016 - 2017, Ms. Ninh's family still did not have enough money to cover food, travel and the remaining 20% ​​of hospital fees, because her husband did not have a stable job and had to raise a small child, so he had to both cover living expenses and take care of her treatment, pushing the family into poverty. Faced with that reality, in 2018, Cua hamlet made a proposal to the commune to recognize Ms. Ninh's family as a poor household. Since then, Ms. Ninh has received 100% of the medical expenses. Recently, her illness became serious, and in just 1 month of treatment at Bach Mai Hospital, the health insurance fund paid her more than 136.7 million VND.

Determining the development of health insurance participants is the basis for effectively implementing health insurance policies and regimes for people in medical examination and treatment.

To implement the roadmap to cover 100% of the population participating in health insurance, ensuring social security, in recent times, the Tan Ky District Social Insurance Agency has coordinated with departments, branches, district-level organizations, and the authorities of 22 communes and towns to promote propaganda in many forms about the significance and importance of health insurance so that people understand the benefits and rights when participating. In particular, cases of illness requiring long-term treatment with high costs at hospitals covered by the insurance fund have been specifically mentioned here so that everyone can clearly understand the practical benefits of the health insurance policy.

“I bought health insurance for 563 thousand VND and was given a card valid for 12 months. Recently, unfortunately, I fell and broke my arm, and was transferred to Nghe An 115 Hospital for 3 surgeries, with a total cost of nearly 30 million VND, paid by the health insurance fund. From my case, the teachers have promoted to other students the benefits of participating in health insurance, only paying a small amount of money but when going to the hospital, it is very beneficial economically for the family.”

Nguyen Viet Anh - Class 10A2, Tan Ky 3 High School

Instructions for payment of benefits in accordance with regulations

In recent years, the Tan Ky District Social Insurance Agency has always focused on applying information technology to management activities, timely issuing medical examination and treatment cards and paying policies in accordance with regulations. In particular, it has promptly advised the Tan Ky District People's Committee to establish an interdisciplinary inspection team to inspect compliance with the law on social insurance and health insurance at agencies, units and enterprises located in the area, thereby ensuring the rights of employees to participate in health insurance during their work. Every year, in coordination with the Tan Ky District People's Committee, it organizes a preliminary summary to promptly commend and reward collectives and individuals who have implemented health insurance policies well. Thanks to that, the number of insurance participants has increased.

Party committee, government and policy officers of Nghia Hoan commune (Tan Ky) visited the family of Ms. Lang Thi Ninh in Cua hamlet, Nghia Hoan commune.

“The Tan Ky District Social Insurance focuses on implementing three solutions. First, advising the Party Committee and the government to mobilize the participation of the entire political system in promoting propaganda work; second, promoting administrative reform in both procedures and service attitude of officials and civil servants in a streamlined direction to meet the needs of participants; third, coordinating with the District Health Center and medical facilities to improve the quality of health care for people in the area.”

Mr. Cao Cu Huy - Director of Social Insurance of Tan Ky district

Evaluating the performance of the Tan Ky District Social Insurance Agency, Mr. Le Viet Thuc - Deputy Director of Nghe An Provincial Social Insurance emphasized: "In the past 3 years, from 2016 to 2018, Tan Ky District Social Insurance has been one of the top units in Nghe An province in implementing the health insurance policy well, completing its tasks excellently, in 2016 it was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Prime Minister, in 2018, it was awarded an emulation flag by Vietnam Social Insurance. The outstanding point is that the unit has closely coordinated with local authorities in implementation, so every year it has completed the assigned targets for implementing the health insurance policy. With the way Tan Ky District Social Insurance works, the goal of universal health insurance coverage will be achieved according to the roadmap".

Instructing people on health insurance procedures. Photo courtesy of Duc Anh

Health insurance has brought many practical benefits to people, ensuring fairness in health care, especially reducing difficulties for low-income families when they are unfortunately sick or have an accident like the families of Mr. Nguyen Kim Thuc and Ms. Lang Thi Ninh. Moreover, nowadays, the risk of disease is increasing, the price of medical services is adjusted to increase, so participating in health insurance is one of the things that everyone needs to do immediately, not only contributing to improving the quality of health care but also sharing the financial burden, medical examination and treatment costs for themselves, their families and for social security.

With that humane meaning, we believe that the goal of universal health insurance will soon become a reality, so that everyone can have the conditions to receive proper care and treatment, and live happily and healthily./.