Payment of Treatment Costs for COVID-19 Patients from October 20, 2023: Procedure and Guidelines
Guideline for Payment of Treatment Costs for COVID-19 Patients from October 20, 2023
On October 19, 2023, the Ministry of Health issued Decision 3896/QD-BYT 2023 to adjust the classification of acute respiratory disease caused by the novel Corona virus (COVID-19) from Group A infectious disease to Group B infectious disease as stipulated at point b Clause 1 and Clause 2 Article 3 of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2007. Decision 3896/QD-BYT 2023 takes effect from October 20, 2023.
On October 29, 2023, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch 6922/BYT-KHTC 2023 to guide the payment of treatment costs for COVID-19 patients and policies for participants in COVID-19 prevention from October 20, 2023, to ensure synchronization in implementing policies and measures for COVID-19 prevention and control when switching from Group A to Group B.
The payment of treatment costs for COVID-19 patients from October 20, 2023, is guided in Official Dispatch 6922/BYT-KHTC 2023 as follows:
* Payment of medical examination, treatment costs, and food, living expenses for COVID-19 patients from October 20, 2023:
- For individuals with health insurance cards, payment shall be made as per health insurance law; individuals without health insurance cards shall pay medical examination and treatment costs as stipulated.
- For food and living expenses, the regulations of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Group B Infectious Diseases shall apply.
* For patients admitted before October 20, 2023, and discharged after October 20, 2023:
- Medical examination and treatment costs for COVID-19 patients:
+ Before October 20, 2023, payment shall follow the regulations in Article 7 of Decree 29/2022/ND-CP detailing and providing measures for implementing Resolution 12/2021/UBTVQH15 on allowing some health mechanisms and policies for COVID-19 prevention.
+ From October 20, 2023, payment shall follow the guidance at point a, item 1 above.
- Food and living expenses for COVID-19 patients:
+ Before October 20, 2023, as guided by the Law on the Prevention and Control of Group A Infectious Diseases (regulations in Resolution 16/NQ-CP dated February 8, 2021, of the Government of Vietnam on medical quarantine costs, medical examination and treatment, and specific policies in COVID-19 prevention).
+ From October 20, 2023: For food and living expenses, the regulations of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Group B Infectious Diseases shall apply.
How is the payment of treatment costs for COVID-19 patients from October 20, 2023, implemented?
What are the policies for participants in COVID-19 prevention from October 20, 2023?
Article 3 of Official Dispatch 6922/BYT-KHTC 2023 provides policies for participants in COVID-19 prevention in Group B as follows:
Policies for participants in COVID-19 prevention in Group B shall follow Decision 73/2011/QD-TTg which stipulates specific allowances for officials and public employees, and workers in public health facilities and prevention allowance policies from October 20, 2023.
What is the current prevention allowance for Group B infectious diseases?
The prevention allowance is stipulated in Clause 1 Article 3 of Decision 73/2011/QD-TTg as follows:
Prevention Allowance
1. Prevention Allowance:
a) Individuals involved in monitoring, investigating, and verifying the epidemic; participating in epidemic prevention; directly involved in the medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with infectious diseases at medical facilities (hereinafter collectively referred to as epidemic prevention participants) will be entitled to the following prevention allowances:
- Group A infectious diseases: 150,000 VND/day/person;
- Group B infectious diseases: 100,000 VND/day/person;
- Group C infectious diseases: 75,000 VND/day/person;
Participating in epidemic prevention during weekends, the allowance rate is 1.3 times the above-mentioned rates. Participating in epidemic prevention during holidays, the rate is 1.8 times the aforementioned rates.
b) In cases where the epidemic has not been declared but monitoring, investigating, and verifying are required, individuals will be entitled to the allowance prescribed at point a, Clause 1 of this Article.
c) The Minister of Health will specify the list of Group B and Group C infectious diseases for which individuals directly participating in the medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment at medical facilities will be entitled to prevention allowances.
Accordingly, as per the above regulations, the prevention allowance for Group B infectious diseases is as follows:
Individuals involved in monitoring, investigating, and verifying the epidemic; participating in epidemic prevention; directly involved in the medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with infectious diseases at medical facilities (hereinafter collectively referred to as epidemic prevention participants) are entitled to a prevention allowance for Group B infectious diseases of 100,000 VND/day/person.
* In cases where participation in epidemic prevention occurs during weekends, the allowance rate is 1.3 times the stipulated rate.
That is for Group B infectious diseases: 1.3*100,000 VND/day/person.
* In cases where participation in epidemic prevention occurs during holidays, the allowance rate is 1.8 times the stipulated rate.
That is for Group B infectious diseases: 1.8*100,000 VND/day/person.
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