Is health insurance for students in Vietnam mandatory?

Is health insurance for students in Vietnam mandatory?

Pursuant to Clause 21, Article 12 of the Health Insurance Law 2008 (amended by Clause 6, Article 1 of the Amended Health Insurance Law 2014), the subjects participating in health insurance are as follows:

Subjects participating in health insurance

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3. Group paid for by the state budget, including:

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b) Retired commune, ward, and commune-level town officials receiving monthly subsidies from the state budget;

c) Individuals who have ceased receiving loss of working capacity allowances and are receiving monthly subsidies from the state budget;

d) People with meritorious services to the revolution, war veterans;

dd) Incumbent members of the National Assembly, incumbent members of the People's Councils at all levels;

e) Children under 6 years old;

g) Individuals receiving monthly social protection allowances;

h) Individuals from poor households; ethnic minorities residing in areas with difficult socio-economic conditions; individuals residing in especially difficult socio-economic areas; individuals residing in island communes and districts;

i) Relatives of people with meritorious services to the revolution including biological parents, spouses, children of martyrs; individuals responsible for raising martyrs;

k) Relatives of people with meritorious services to the revolution, except for the subjects specified at point i of this clause;

l) Relatives of the subjects specified at point a, clause 3 of this Article;

m) Individuals who have donated organs as per legal regulations;

n) Foreign individuals studying in Vietnam on scholarships funded by the Vietnamese state budget.

4. Group receiving state budget support for health insurance contributions, including:

a) Individuals from near-poor households;

b) Students.

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Thus, students are subject to mandatory health insurance participation. Students fall into the group receiving state budget support for health insurance contributions.

Is health insurance for students in Vietnam mandatory?​ (Image from the Internet)

What is the minimum health insurance contribution support from the Statefor students in Vietnam?

Pursuant to point c, clause 1, Article 8 of Decree 146/2018/ND-CP:

Level of support from the state budget

1. From the effective date of this Decree, the level of support from the state budget for certain subjects is as follows:

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c) At least 30% support for health insurance contributions for the subjects stipulated in clauses 3 and 4, Article 4 of this Decree.

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Thus, students receive at least 30% support for health insurance contributions from the state.

What is the current health insurance contribution rate for students in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 7 of Decree 146/2018/ND-CP, the health insurance contribution rates and responsibilities are as follows:

Health insurance contribution rates and responsibilities

1. The monthly health insurance contribution rates for subjects are stipulated as follows:

a) Equivalent to 4.5% of the monthly salary of workers for individuals specified in clause 1, Article 1 of this Decree.

- Workers on sick leave for 14 days or more within a month as stipulated by social insurance law do not have to pay health insurance but still enjoy health insurance benefits;

- Workers temporarily detained, remanded, or temporarily suspended from work for investigation of legal violations have a monthly payment rate of 4.5% of 50% of their monthly salary. If competent authorities determine no legal violation, the workers must back-pay health insurance based on back-paid salary;

b) Equivalent to 4.5% of the monthly retirement or loss of working capacity allowance for individuals specified in clause 1, Article 2 of this Decree;

c) Equivalent to 4.5% of the monthly salary of workers prior to maternity leave for individuals specified in clause 5, Article 2 of this Decree;

d) Equivalent to 4.5% of unemployment benefits for individuals specified in clause 6, Article 2 of this Decree;

dd) Equivalent to 4.5% statutory pay rate for other individuals;

e) The health insurance contribution rate for the subjects specified in Article 5 of this Decree is as follows: First person pays equivalent to 4.5% statutory pay rate; second, third, fourth person pays 70%, 60%, 50% of the first person’s rate respectively; from the fifth person onwards pays 40% of the first person’s rate.

The reduction in the health insurance contribution rate as per this point is implemented when family members participating in health insurance under the family scheme join within the same fiscal year.

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Thus, the current health insurance contribution rate for students is 4.5% statutory pay rate.

Currently, the statutory pay rate is VND 2,340,000/month (Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree 73/2024/ND-CP).