How much does it cost for students in Vietnam to have a medical examination before going to school?

Are students in Vietnam required to undergo medical examinations when attending school?

Based on the provisions of Article 30 of Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT, the subjects required for health examinations include:

Health Examination Subjects

1. Health examination subjects:

a) Health examinations for Vietnamese citizens and foreigners living and working in Vietnam: periodic health examinations; classification health examinations for studying, working, health examinations for students, university students;*

b) Health examinations upon request;

c) Health examinations for Vietnamese citizens working abroad under a contract.

2. The health examinations in this Chapter do not apply to the following cases:

a) Outpatient or inpatient examinations at medical examination and treatment facilities;

b) Medical, forensic, and psychiatric forensic evaluations;

c) Examinations to issue injury certificates;

d) Occupational health examinations;

dd) Health examinations for subjects under the management of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Public Security;

e) Health examinations for specific sectors or professions.

Therefore, according to the above provisions, students are one of the subjects required to undergo a health examination when attending school.

Additionally, the procedure for the health examination will be based on the provisions of Article 35 of Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT as follows:

- Persons undergoing health examinations submit files according to the prescribed formats at health examination facilities.

- Upon receiving the health examination files, the health examination facility performs the following:

+ Compare the photo in the health examination file with the person undergoing the examination;

+ Stamp the photo after comparison according to the regulations at point a of this clause for cases stipulated in clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 37 of Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT;

+ Verify the valid identification documents of the patient's relative for cases stipulated in clause 3 of Article 37 of Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT;

+ Guide the health examination process of the unit to the person undergoing the health examination or their guardian (if any);

+ The health examination facility formulates, issues, and implements the health examination procedure;

+ Deliver and archive health examination results.

Are students in Vietnam required to undergo medical examinations when attending school?​ (Image from the Internet)

How much does it cost for students in Vietnam to have a medical examination before going to school?

According to Article 33 of Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT, the costs for health examinations are stipulated as follows:

Costs of Health Examinations

1. Organizations and individuals requesting health examinations must pay health examination fees to the health examination facilities, according to the service prices approved by competent state agencies or by agreement between the two parties, except in cases exempted or reduced by law.

2. In cases where the person undergoing the health examination requests the issuance of more than one health certificate, an additional fee for the issuance of the health certificates shall be submitted as regulated by the health examination and treatment facility.

3. The collection, submission, management, and use of revenue from health examination activities are implemented according to legal regulations.

Furthermore, Appendix 1 issued with Circular 21/2023/TT-BYT stipulates the price range for medical examination services not covered by health insurance funds at public medical examination and treatment facilities as follows:

Unit: VND

Therefore, based on the above regulations, the cost for students to have health examinations for school does not have an exact specific amount, as it can vary depending on the scope of the examination, ranging from a minimum of 42,000 VND to a maximum of 184,000 VND at public health examination and treatment facilities.

However, the price may vary if the examination is conducted at private hospitals and depending on the policies and examination packages of each hospital.

Are students undergoing health examinations before going to school covered by health insurance in Vietnam?

According to Clause 3, Article 23 of the Health Insurance Law 2008 (amended by Clause 16, Article 1 of the Revised Health Insurance Law 2014), the cases where health insurance does not cover are as follows:

- Costs in cases specified in Clause 1, Article 21 of the Health Insurance Law 2008 (as amended and supplemented) have been paid by the state budget.

- Convalescence and rehabilitation at convalescence, rehabilitation facilities.

- Health examinations.

- Tests and diagnostic tests not for treatment purposes during pregnancy.

- Use of assisted reproductive technologies, family planning services, abortion, except in cases of pregnancy termination due to fetal or maternal health reasons.

- Use of cosmetic services.

- Treatment of squint, nearsightedness, and refractive errors of the eyes.

- Use of replacement medical supplies including artificial limbs, artificial eyes, dentures, eyeglasses, hearing aids, assistive devices for mobility during medical examination, treatment, and rehabilitation.

- Medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation for occupational diseases, work-related accidents, and disasters.

- Medical examination, treatment for addiction to drugs, alcohol, or other addictive substances.

- Medical, forensic, psychiatric forensic examinations.

- Participation in clinical trials, scientific research.

Thus, according to the above regulations, students undergoing health examinations before going to school are not covered by health insurance.