Free Hospitalization: Roadmap for the People

The direction of free hospital fees for the people was first raised by General Secretary To Lam on March 16. And on September 9, Resolution 72 of the Politburo was officially issued, setting specific goals: From 2026, people will receive free periodic health check-ups at least once a year. By 2030, basic hospital fees will be exempted.

When regular check-ups are free, it will gradually become a habit, people will detect diseases early, treat them early, and reduce the burden of costs later.

If this is a roadmap, it is certainly a roadmap for the people. With very specific timelines, enough time to implement, but also close enough for people to see and evaluate.

From the General Secretary 's suggestive question at the meeting of the Party's XIV Congress Document Subcommittee to the promulgation of Resolution 72 was 6 months. A period of time ripe enough for reflection, discussion, and maturity for a path that is not easy at all.

You may already know.

Hospital fees account for a significant proportion of Vietnamese health care spending.

Not to mention, although the proportion of household out-of-pocket expenditure in total health expenditure has decreased from about 60-70% in the early 2000s to about 41-46% in the period 2016-2022 (source: WHO/WB), this is still a real burden for many people, especially poor households, people with serious illnesses, and chronic diseases.

Only when we look from the perspective of sympathy for the burden of the people can we see how meaningful the policy of exempting/reducing hospital fees is.

Because, it is really a big turning point in Vietnam's social security system, where people really enjoy the fruits of development, really feel shared by the State.

The 2026 and 2030 timelines show that this is a calculated vision, with each step based on budget resources, health insurance funds and apparatus reform; thereby, giving people confidence: "Free hospital fees are no longer just words, but have become a resolution."

At the conference to disseminate and implement the four new resolutions of the Politburo on September 16, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said: "The Government has balanced the budget for major policies." 4,335 billion VND per year, to increase the support level to 70% or 100% for grassroots medical staff, preventive medicine, and disadvantaged areas. This is the "foundation" for the free hospital fee policy to not only be a story of the Central Hospital, but also spread down to the commune and village levels. The commune health station - the first and closest place to approach the people - will be the first "gateway" of the policy. This is the decisive step for free hospital fees to truly reach the people, not just concentrated on the central level.

That is 30,000 billion VND for periodic health check-ups for 100 million people (minus 4,800 billion VND paid by employers). The basic hospital fee exemption policy under health insurance alone could cost the budget an additional 21,500 billion VND per year, but with the current health insurance fund having a surplus of 49,000-50,000 billion VND and a roadmap for fee adjustment, the State is capable of balancing in the initial stage and having a long-term solution.

In terms of economic value and social significance, Resolution 72 does not stop at free annual health check-ups or reducing basic hospital fees, it also creates a "spillover effect". When regular health check-ups are free, it will gradually become a habit, people will detect diseases early, treat them early, and reduce the burden of costs later. For example, a cancer case, if detected early, has a treatment cost 5-7 times lower than late detection, and early treatment is also more effective.

The budget of 30,000 billion VND/year for periodic health check-ups for 100 million people is therefore not an "expense", but an "investment" in the future.

The story of free hospital treatment – ​​even at a basic level – is neither easy nor cheap. As the Deputy Prime Minister said, this is a policy that needs to be applied carefully.

But with the support of the people and the determination of the Government, nothing is too difficult to be done. Moreover, in the field of people's health - there is no distinction between expensive and cheap. Because the Party and the State have determined that people are the center, the subject, the goal, the driving force and the resource for development.

The speed from idea (March 16) to resolution (September 9), plus the specific budget figure, has made this policy "flesh and blood", creating solid trust among the people. Because after all, trust does not only come from promises, but from specific plans, with money, milestones, and solutions.

On social networks – under each status with the keywords “free hospital fees” or “resolution 72” – there are countless heart icons, expressions of agreement and appreciation. That is how people express their feelings and attitudes towards what the Party, State and Government are doing, for the people and for the people.

Dao Tuan

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/mien-vien-phi-lo-trinh-vi-dan-1022509162313532.htm