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PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the video-conference on health insurance, Ha Noi, June 3, 2016 - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu
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The Government chief made the proposal on June 3 in Ha Noi at a video-conference on health insurance.
After 25 years, the universal health insurance rate touched 75%, which is encouraging. But the goal of health insurance coverage of 78% by year-end remains modest, not high, said PM Phuc.
Hence, he suggested the health sector raise the number of people to be covered by health insurance to enjoy social benefits and medical care.
To realize the goal, PM Phuc asked for clear responsibilities of every sector and locality.
Deputy Minister of Finance and General Director of Viet Nam Social Insurance Nguyen Thi Minh announced that health insurance coverage rate was 76.5% at the end of 2015.
In the first half of 2016, over 70.8 million got health insurance cards, up 0.83%. The health sector has proactively deployed measures to attain the 78% health insurance coverage goal.
The Deputy Minster suggested the Government design more positive mechanisms for the Viet Nam Social Insurance to expand the health insurance network and provide incentives for health insurance families.
Ms. Minh also called on provinces and cities to mobilize all resources to support local residents from poor households, agro-forestry-fishery-salt making households with medium-income level, difficulty-stricken people to buy health insurance.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien announced that in the coming time the Ministry will continue to adjust medical costs for non-health insurance card holders to ensure equality among the two groups of people and encourage them to buy health insurance.
However, the adjustments will be conducted in around 8-10 provinces and cities from the end of 2016 to early 2017 in order to avoid negative impacts on the country's inflation rate, she added./.
By Kim Anh
