Freedom to choose primary health care facilities nationwide from July 1

One of the most notable new features is that people have the right to register for initial medical examination and treatment at any medical facility within the health insurance system nationwide, no longer limited by administrative boundaries as before.

This regulation helps people access medical services more conveniently and be more flexible in choosing medical examination and treatment facilities that suit their needs and conditions.

Illustration photo.

In addition, health insurance participants can change their initial medical examination and treatment registration place each quarter, within the first 15 days of each quarter if needed.

Regarding referral, the amended law expands the right to inpatient treatment at basic health insurance medical facilities nationwide without requiring a referral, reducing cumbersome procedures and creating convenience for patients when they need to seek medical examination and treatment at a facility not in the initial registration line.

In addition, the 2024 Law on Health Insurance also expands the subjects participating in compulsory health insurance to new groups of subjects such as people aged 75 and over who are receiving monthly pensions, people aged 70 to under 75 from near-poor households, village health workers, village midwives, grassroots security forces and people from farming, forestry, fishery and salt-making households with average living standards.

This regulation aims to expand health insurance policies to the elderly and disadvantaged people, as well as encourage those working in health care for people in remote areas and protecting security and order at the grassroots level.

Regarding health insurance premiums, the new Law provides clearer regulations, allowing enterprises, cooperatives, and business households operating in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fishery, and salt production to choose to pay health insurance monthly, quarterly, or every 6 months, helping these subjects to be more proactive in their contributions.

The deadline for late payment is also relaxed, ensuring that it is appropriate to the specific activities and financial capacity of the target groups. The contribution level is determined based on a percentage of the basic salary or income, including state budget support for disadvantaged groups to ensure social equity.

Regarding health insurance medical examination and treatment, according to the Vietnam Social Security Agency, recently, many people with health insurance cards who have serious or critical illnesses have had their medical examination and treatment costs paid by the health insurance fund from hundreds of millions to billions of dong.

BTHH patient (born in 1979) had diseases such as severe dengue fever; adult respiratory distress syndrome; pneumonia, unidentified agent; sepsis, unidentified; renal failure of unknown cause; nonspecific gastrointestinal bleeding; other unclassified fungal infections; septic shock.

During the 48 days of treatment from June 22 to August 8, 2024, Ms. H had to pay nearly 1.7 billion VND in hospital fees. However, throughout the treatment process, the health insurance card always accompanied her, supporting her and her family to feel secure during the treatment. The health insurance fund paid all of her treatment costs.

Ms. H shared that if she did not have health insurance, she probably would not have been able to live until today due to the high cost of treatment. For a freelancer with a low and unstable income, paying for food and daily living expenses is difficult, not to mention the very expensive cost of medical examination and treatment. At times like this, she clearly feels the practical benefits of health insurance.

Similarly, patient NTL (born in 1993) unfortunately suffered 80% third and fourth degree gasoline burns to the face, body, and limbs; respiratory burns; septic shock; multiple organ failure; burns and corrosion of the respiratory tract.

With 34 days of treatment from May 8 to June 10, 2024, her total treatment cost was more than 1.3 billion VND. For Ms. L, health insurance is a "benefactor" when all costs are paid by the health insurance fund. Thanks to putting aside the financial burden, Ms. L can rest assured about her treatment and recovery.

These are just two of hundreds of patients who have high-cost medical treatment and examinations that have benefited from health insurance. Thanks to health insurance, many unfortunate cases of accidents and illnesses have overcome difficulties caused by illness, reducing the financial burden. Not only with special diseases but also with common diseases, people with health insurance cards also enjoy great benefits.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam, Director of Social Insurance Region I, shared that the successful treatment of serious cases like patients H and L further confirms the practical effectiveness of the health insurance policy. Currently, many other serious cases are also being paid by the health insurance fund up to billions of VND.

During 30 years of providing medical examination and treatment services according to the regulations of the Charter and Law on Health Insurance, over 151.3 million people with health insurance cards have received medical examination and treatment under the health insurance regime, with a total cost of medical examination and treatment of over 168,067 billion VND.

Of which, tens of thousands of patients with serious illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic diseases with high costs have been fully and properly paid by the social insurance agency.

The number of people receiving medical examination and treatment under the health insurance regime has increased rapidly over the years. In 2024, there were 13.2 million people, with health insurance examination and treatment costs reaching VND 25,765 billion. In the first 6 months of 2025, the social insurance sector has ensured medical examination and treatment benefits for over 6 million people with an amount of more than VND 13,000 billion.

Social Insurance Region I has proposed many solutions to increase health insurance coverage and ensure patient rights. Currently, the number of people participating in health insurance in Hanoi has reached 8.17 million, an increase of more than 7.6 million people compared to 1995, with health insurance coverage reaching 95.51% of the population.

Health insurance policy is one of the important pillars of social security. Since its implementation, health insurance coverage has been increasingly expanded, people have received better health care with better medical services. In particular, people in difficult circumstances and people in remote areas have access to medical services right from the grassroots level.

With the goal of ensuring maximum benefits for patients, Social Insurance Region I focuses on developing health insurance participants to improve access to policies when facing risks of illness or disease.

Social Insurance Region I coordinates with the Department of Health and medical examination and treatment facilities to effectively implement the Law on Health Insurance in the area, sign health insurance medical examination and treatment contracts with medical facilities to ensure the rights of participants.

The quality of medical examination and treatment under health insurance is increasingly improved, many new drugs, modern medical techniques and services are quickly covered by the health insurance fund, creating favorable conditions for patients to access, while ensuring the principle of risk sharing among participants. Many patients have received billions of dong from the health insurance fund, helping them and their families overcome financial difficulties to feel secure in their treatment.

In the coming time, Social Insurance Region I will continue to implement many propaganda solutions, increase health insurance coverage, ensure the rights of participants, and contribute to improving the lives and social security of the people of the capital.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tu-do-chon-co-so-kham-chua-benh-ban-dau-tren-toan-quoc-tu-17-d318047.html