Proposal to implement universal health insurance from 2014

That was the opinion proposed by many delegates at the 24th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC). On the morning of January 13, after the 24th session opened, the NASC gave opinions on major issues that still had different opinions, including: Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Health Insurance...

Using health insurance fund to…train officials?

Chairing and delivering the opening speech, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung emphasized: "The session is very important because after the Constitution comes into effect, it also prepares many contents for the 7th and 8th sessions of the 13th National Assembly."

After listening to the report of the Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs, Truong Thi Mai, on the reception and completion of the draft Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Health Insurance, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly had many comments, clearly expressing disagreement with a number of contents proposed by the Drafting Committee.

Mr. Phan Trung Ly, Chairman of the National Assembly's Law Committee, proposed to review health insurance for officers and professional soldiers in the army and the people's police. If this group is not covered by compulsory health insurance, what health care will they receive, because it is the entire population, so no one is excluded? In particular, Mr. Phan Trung Ly disagrees with the way the health insurance fund surplus is handled. The current law stipulates that the surplus is for medical examination and treatment, but the new draft stipulates spending on many types of work such as: 50% for improving the rights of insurance participants, spending on purchasing medical equipment; emulation and rewards, and training of staff. Mr. Ly believes that surplus should not be encouraged. “If we allow the use of surplus, we will encourage thrifty use. We need to review. Equipment purchases are guaranteed by the budget, not by people's contributions. Training of officials and emulation and rewards have sources according to the Law, so we cannot use them. The surplus must be returned to serve the people,” said Mr. Phan Trung Ly.

Not only Mr. Phan Trung Ly but most of the opinions expressed shared the above point of view. Although Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien attended the meeting and explained that handling the surplus like that is to meet the requirements of the "transition" period. Currently, the provinces with difficulties buy 100%, buy a lot but spend little, so there is a surplus. The places that buy little and overspend are the cities. Ms. Tien proposed a roadmap after 2020 to properly use the health insurance fund according to the set goals. Ms. Tien also said that she personally does not agree with the inclusion of equipment procurement and rewards in the health insurance fund, which is a proposal of... the drafting committee.

Illustration

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh, Deputy Minister of Finance, explained: In the long term, the health insurance fund should be centrally managed at the national level, which is also the model of many countries, but to solve current problems, that goal will be achieved by 2020. Ms. Minh also realized that "leaving it like this will result in different benefits for localities", so she proposed that localities use the surplus fund at a rate of less than 50%, about 20-30% so that the fund is concentrated at a higher level at the central level". However, this opinion was questioned by Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong: "If we please the National Assembly deputies and localities like that, is it against the law?"

Criticizing the mistakes in thinking in some contents of the draft law, Chairman of the National Assembly's Finance and Budget Committee Phung Quoc Hien frankly said: "This fund should be strictly managed to serve medical examination and treatment. The collected portion should be handled more strictly, for example, 90% should be used for medical examination and treatment. If it is true that it is spent on medical examination and treatment, then it should be spent, if there is any surplus, it should be sent to the Central Government. My point of view is not to spend it, but to divide the surplus fund."

Chairman of the National Assembly's Judicial Committee Nguyen Van Hien also strongly criticized the view of "dividing" the fund surplus: "Surplus and deficit are our understandings. If it is universal health insurance, it cannot be understood as health insurance for my province, my district, my commune. It must be in the spirit of everyone for one person, one province for many provinces. That is the localism of some National Assembly deputies. It must be used effectively, not divided at the end of a year. We must change the mindset about the surplus, which is a long-term fund."

Proposal to remove division of lines in medical examination and treatment

Many opinions at the meeting proposed to soon implement universal health insurance from 2014. Mr. Nguyen Van Hien suggested: "If all people enjoy health insurance, all people pay, almost the whole world does it like that. This demonstrates civic responsibility, and those who are in difficulty will have exemption and reduction policies." Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu also said that the 12th National Assembly had set the goal of implementing universal health insurance by 2014, but now it is not appropriate to postpone the roadmap.

However, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Huynh Ngoc Son suggested that the implementation of universal health insurance must be more clearly handled, along with eliminating bureaucratic procedures, dividing treatment lines, and ensuring that people can receive medical examination and treatment wherever they choose, and all are covered by health insurance.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung agreed with this issue. The National Assembly Chairman said: “We must minimize the prohibition of people. A universal health insurance card that allows people to go to one place but not another is an extremely weak way of management. Comrades, please do not make people suffer. I suggest removing all the things that make it difficult for people. If you have a card, you can go to any place you want.” The National Assembly Chairman also criticized the new draft law amending 26 articles, of which 19 articles require a guiding decree, as cumbersome and “unacceptable.”

According to the conclusion of the meeting chairman, the plan to implement compulsory health insurance for all people from 2014 will be included in the draft, submitted to the National Assembly deputies for consideration at the 7th session. The revised content related to the people's army and the people's police will remain as it is, these two forces will not participate in the national health insurance.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee Nguyen Kim Khoa: "The military not participating in the health insurance fund has been implemented for a long time, the old law has stipulated it, I think it is reasonable. I debated it at the 11th session. Because the military organizes military medical tasks, ensuring health according to the line according to the tasks from tactical units to campaigns and strategies, not according to areas and must ensure according to requirements."

According to QĐND