Director of a tourist company Le Thi Huong still pays VND100 million ($4,305 ) a year to buy a commercial health insurance package for family members in case that her relatives have serious illness though all of them have participated in the state’s health insurance program.
Sharing why she buys commercial health insurance package, she said that she has rarely come to any medical facilities for examination because of endless wait, complicated formalities and lower-than-expected quality.
On the contrary, she and her relatives can opt for hospitals and medical premium services as per our wishes without thinking much about medicine and cost for commercial health insurance.
Head of the Department of Health Insurance Le Van Kham said health insurance holders presently ought to pay for expensive medicine, materials, periodic check-up, high technologies, eye diseases, and dental services.
Moreover, Insured Vietnamese patients currently pay 5 percent - 20 percent of medical treatment costs, with the remainder paid by the Viet Nam Social Insurance Agency if they have undergo treatment in the hospital of their first choice in nearest locality whereas they have to pay all medical service cost if they undergo treatment in a big hospital which is not their first choice.
The current insurance regulations has imposed limitation on demand of high-income earners.
Deputy Director of the Vietnam Social Insurance Agency Pham Luong Son said that many insurance buyers want to buy expensive health insurance package so that they can opt for bed, physician and other medical services; however, the agency has not provided package as per patients’ demand.
Meantime, commercial health insurance offers different health insurance package dependently on patients’ demand. Basically, commercial health insurance buyers will pay VND1 million a month and they will enjoy medical services in proportion to VND1 million whereas insurance holders of the state agency may enjoy medical services dependently on their illness despite how much they pay, Mr. Son said.
Accordingly, medical experts said that development of commercial health insurance is needed to satisfy high-income earners’ demand and help people avoid financial risk in case they experience serious illness.
The leader of the Department of Health Insurance revealed that the Ministry of Health will green light to non-governmental business entities providing commercial health insurance to give social health insurance to diversify its insurance packages.
For instance, non-governmental business entities can provide medicine insurance package or material insurance package in the insurance agency.
