Representatives of business associations and enterprises met on 19th January 2021 to discuss the social health insurance policy options proposed by the Ministry of Health in view of the revision of the Law. The workshop was organized through the partnership between the ILO Viet Nam and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), with contributions from the Ministry of Health and Viet Nam Social Security.
VCCI, as Viet Nam Employers representative, plays a crucial role in the design and implementation of the social health insurance system as a vehicle to raise employers’ priorities and concerns and inform their members (employers) on their rights and responsibilities. This role is particularly important as it contributes to better formulation on right-based entitlements to social health protection and better compliance with the Law, in a context of rapid economic growth and efforts towards gradual formalization of the economy.
During the workshop, employer representatives paid a particular interest in the new policies related to expansion of the health insurance eligible benefits, development of an additional benefit package, and the sustainability of the health insurance fund. They also showed concern over the creation of a new group of members constituted by the employees’ dependants, which poses both financial and operational challenges. Another raising concern relates to increasing out-of-pocket expenditures and related financial burden borne by patients. The participants also proposed to address the issue of heavy administrative procedures for registration and utilization of health insurance benefits, and to develop a family-doctor model for better access to primary health care.
The workshop have succeeded in sharing essential knowledge on the concept and rationale of social health protection in general and Viet Nam health insurance policies in particular, and provided a much needed fora to engage with the Ministry of Health on the Law revision. The Ministry of Health’s proposal to amend the Health Insurance Law was recently disseminated widely for comments. The proposal will be discussed at the National Assembly in 2021, with the objective to formulate and adopt the new Health Insurance Law in 2022.
