60/63 provinces and cities nationwide have applied new hospital fees.

According to Mr. Nguyen Nam Lien, Deputy Director of the Department of Financial Planning (Ministry of Health), currently 60/63 provinces and cities have had their People's Councils approve new hospital fees, of which 45/63 localities have collected new hospital fees in 2012.

Currently, there are 3 provinces and cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Tay Ninh that have not yet had their People's Councils agree to implement the new hospital fees.



Illustration: Do Thoa

In addition, three central hospitals, the Central Dermatology Hospital, the Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and the Institute of Marine Medicine, have not yet applied the new hospital fees. It is expected that these localities and hospitals will adjust the new hospital fees this year.

According to Mr. Nguyen Nam Lien, up to this point, 67% of the population has health insurance cards. The remaining 33% of the population does not have health insurance cards, so if they get seriously ill and have high treatment costs, it will be difficult to pay hospital fees.

Currently, the Ministry of Health is submitting to the Prime Minister for permission to support 100% of the near-poor people who have just escaped poverty and the near-poor people in difficult mountainous provinces to buy health insurance cards.

It is known that previously, on June 26, 2012, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 797/QD-TTg on increasing the level of support for purchasing health insurance cards for people in near-poor households to 70% and allowing localities with budget conditions to increase the level of support for near-poor people to participate in health insurance./.

(According to Communist Party of Vietnam) - LH