What are the amendments to prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance in Vietnam? Will the prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance increase?

Main Content

• What are the amendments to prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance in Vietnam? Will the prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by heralth insurance increase by 10%?
• What is the composition of prices for medical services covered by health insurance in Vietnam from November 17, 2023?
• What are the direct expenses included in prices for hospital stay in Vietnam from November 17, 2023?

What are the amendments to prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance in Vietnam? Will the prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by heralth insurance increase by 10%?

Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT amended prices of medical examination and treatment services from November 17, 2023 as follows:

*Increasing prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance among hospitals in Vietnam

In Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT, the Ministry of Health has increased the prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance, specifically:

- Prices for medical examination and consultation: Increase nearly 10% compared to the price in Circular 13/2019/TT-BYT, the consultation fee for determining difficult cases (experts/doctors) remains at 200,000 Vietnamese dong. This fee is only applicable when inviting experts from other units for consultation at the healthcare facility.

- Prices for hospital stay: Increase about 10% to 14% compared to the price in Circular 13/2019/TT-BYT.

- Prices for medical procedures and testing: Most service prices have increased slightly by around 1% to 4% compared to the rates stated in Circular 13/2019/TT-BYT. However, there are also services that have seen a price increase of up to 10% (such as ultrasound).

*Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT guides prices for pediatric procedures that are performed on adults.

In Clause 10, Article 7, Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT provides instructions as follows:

- Pediatric procedures that are performed on adults or medical procedures performed for pediatric patients but having the same name as those for adults but having no specific prices, apply medical procedure prices according to the list in Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT and those for technically and financially equivalent procedures.

- Medical procedures only available in pediatrics but performed for patients over 16 years old, apply medical procedure prices as those prescribed for pediatrics

What are the amendments to prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance in Vietnam? Will the prices of medical examination and treatment services covered by health insurance increase? (Picture from internet)

What is the composition of prices for medical services covered by health insurance in Vietnam from November 17, 2023?

In Clause 1, Article 3, Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT stipulates the composition of prices for medical services covered by health insurance:

Composition of prices for medical services covered by health insurance

Prices for medical services specified in this Circular shall be calculated based upon direct expenses and salaries in order to ensure the provision of medical examination and treatment; to be specific:

1. Direct expenses included in prices for medical examination:

a) Expenses incurred on patient clothing, scrubs, medical cap, surgical mask, bedspread, pillow, mattress, mat, stationery, medical glove, cotton wool, bandage, alcohol, gauze, brine and other supplies serving the medical examination.

b) Expenses incurred on electricity, water, fuels, daily-life waste treatment, medical waste (solid and liquid waste); laundry, steaming, drying, washing or disinfecting cloth, examination equipments; expenses incurred on cleaning and ensuring environment hygiene; antiseptic supplies and chemicals during the examination;

c) Expenses incurred on maintenance and care of equipment, purchase of assets and tools for replacement such as air conditioners, computers, printers, dehumidifiers, fans, desks, chairs, cabinets, lights and other necessary tools during medical examination.

2. Direct expenses included in prices for hospital stay

...

Thus, according to the above regulations, from November 17, 2023, direct expenses included in prices for medical examination:

- Expenses incurred on patient clothing, scrubs, medical cap, surgical mask, bedspread, pillow, mattress, mat, stationery, medical glove, cotton wool, bandage, alcohol, gauze, brine and other supplies serving the medical examination.

- Expenses incurred on electricity, water, fuels, daily-life waste treatment, medical waste (solid and liquid waste); laundry, steaming, drying, washing or disinfecting cloth, examination equipments; expenses incurred on cleaning and ensuring environment hygiene; antiseptic supplies and chemicals during the examination;

- Expenses incurred on maintenance and care of equipment, purchase of assets and tools for replacement such as air conditioners, computers, printers, dehumidifiers, fans, desks, chairs, cabinets, lights and other necessary tools during medical examination.

What are the direct expenses included in prices for hospital stay in Vietnam from November 17, 2023?

In Clause 2, Article 3, Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT stipulates the direct expenses included in prices for hospital stay including:

- Expenses incurred on patient clothing, scrubs, medical cap, surgical mask, blanket, bedspread, pillow, mattress, curtain, mat; stationery; medical gloves used in examination, injection and infusion, cotton wool, bandage, alcohol, gauze, brine and other supplies used in daily caring and treatment (including the expense incurred on changing the dressing of a surgical wound or incision of in-patient, except for cases in which such expense is covered in addition to the price for hospital stay as prescribed in clauses 5, 6 and 7, Article 3, Circular 22/2023/TT-BYT); electrodes, electrocardiogram, blood pressure monitor, SPO2 cables in the course of using patient monitors for emergency beds and intensive care beds.

- Expenses specified in Clause 1b and Clause 1c of this Article shall arise out of care and treatment services provided for patients as professionally required.

- Expenses incurred on medicines, whole blood, standard blood products, intravenous fluids, supplies not mentioned above; types of syringe used in infusion; inserted tubes, tubes connecting to syringe pumps or infusion pumps; oxygen supplies, oxygen nasal cannulas, oxygen masks (except cases in which the medical ventilators are indicated for patients), which are not included in the prices for hospital stay, shall be paid if the above-mentioned tools are used during medical examination and treatment.