The National Assembly examines the use of the Health Insurance Fund.

On the morning of September 29, in Hanoi, the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs held its 7th plenary session.

In her opening speech, Chairwoman of the Committee on Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh said that in order to serve the 4th Session of the 14th National Assembly, which is set to take place next October, the Committee will examine many important contents related to the management and use of the Health Insurance Fund; the implementation of the National Assembly's Resolution on promoting the implementation of policies and laws on health insurance, towards universal health insurance; reports on the implementation of national goals on gender equality; results of activities and management and use of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund in 2016-2017; and the implementation of national goals on gender equality.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: VGP/Le Son

At the meeting, the Committee will give opinions on the expected implementation of the 2018 Law and Ordinance Building Program and the expected 2019 Law and Ordinance Building Program in the fields of health, labor, war invalids and social affairs, and many other important contents.

Immediately after the opening, the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs examined the Government's reports on the management and use of the Health Insurance Fund in 2016; and the two-year implementation of the National Assembly's Resolution on promoting the implementation of policies and laws on health insurance, towards universal health insurance.

Attending the meeting were Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and relevant agencies.

The draft Government Report stated that the Health Insurance Fund in 2016 had an unbalanced revenue and expenditure of VND831 billion. However, by the end of the year, the Health Insurance reserve fund had been used to compensate and the remaining balance was more than VND47,000 billion. It is expected that this year, the reserve fund will be more than VND38,000 billion and in 2018, it will be VND23,400 billion. This source of funding is enough to balance the Health Insurance Fund at least until the end of 2019.

Analyzing the reasons for the increase in Health Insurance Fund expenditure, the Government said that the contribution level has not changed while the benefit level has been adjusted. In addition, there is the recent adjustment of medical service prices, the implementation of the medical examination and treatment line and the conditions for accessing services.

However, a very notable cause is the abuse of the Health Insurance Fund. This includes prescribing more drugs and technical services than necessary compared to professional requirements; hospitalizing patients when their condition is not really necessary. There are cases where patients go to health insurance clinics many times in a short period of time without really having the purpose of medical examination and treatment.

People carry out procedures to get medical examination and treatment at the Provincial General Hospital. Photo: Document

Delegate Pham Xuan Thang (Hai Duong province) said: From the practice in Hai Duong, it shows that provincial general hospitals have implemented socialization, bringing modern equipment to serve medical examination and treatment. However, the pressure to recover investment capital for these equipment has led to abuse by prescribing unnecessary tests and functional examinations, creating a burden for the Health Insurance Fund.

Delegate Pham Xuan Thang suggested: The issue of socialization and the introduction of modern equipment into medical examination and treatment has two sides. If we promote it well and manage it well, it will bring benefits to patients. But if we do not manage it well, it will become a burden for the Health Insurance Fund. This is an economic relationship, so it needs to be resolved by legal regulations on economic aspects.

The Government has proposed solutions to manage, use and balance the Health Insurance Fund, emphasizing the strict implementation of sanctions against cases of debt and evasion of health insurance payment; continuing to implement the roadmap for correctly and fully calculating service prices so that people see that participating in health insurance is more beneficial; reforming administrative procedures, applying information technology in managing service provision and appraisal, payment of medical examination and treatment costs; strengthening inspection, supervision and handling of acts of abuse and profiteering from the Health Insurance Fund.

The 7th plenary session of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs takes place until September 30.

According to Chinhphu.vn