From January 1, 2016, there are no restrictions on the initial healthcare facilities covered by health insurance.

From today (January 1, 2016), there will be no limit on initial health insurance coverage for medical examinations and treatments between commune-level and district-level facilities within the same province.

Starting today (January 1, 2016), Circular 40/2015/TT-BYT, which regulates the initial health insurance (BHYT) examination and treatment facilities of the four main levels of healthcare, officially comes into effect.

Along with reforming medical examination and treatment procedures, the provision for "inter-provincial access" in the amended Health Insurance Law aims to provide maximum convenience for health insurance participants in accessing medical services.

Illustration.

Individuals with health insurance cards who initially register for medical examination and treatment at commune-level medical facilities are referred to district hospitals, including first-class and second-class district hospitals, and provincial traditional medicine hospitals (in cases where the district hospital does not have a traditional medicine department).

According to Circular 40, health insurance medical examinations and treatments are carried out according to the principle that insured individuals have the right to register initially at one of the facilities specified above, regardless of administrative boundaries, in accordance with their workplace, place of residence, and the capacity of the medical facility.

Individuals participating in health insurance who are traveling for work, study, or temporary residence for less than 12 months in another locality are entitled to receive medical examination and treatment at facilities in that locality equivalent to the level of the initial medical facility indicated on their card. If that locality does not have an equivalent medical facility, they may choose another facility that provides initial health insurance-covered medical examination and treatment.

According toVOV.VN