Where shall people in Vietnam buy health insurance for students?

Where shall people in Vietnam buy health insurance for students?

However, based on Article 12 of the 2008 Health Insurance Law (amended by Clause 6, Article 1 of the 2014 Amended Health Insurance Law), the participants of the health insurance are regulated as follows:

Participants of Health Insurance

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4. Group with state budget support for contribution, including:

a) Individuals from near-poor households;

b) Students.

5. Group participating in health insurance according to the household, including members of the household, except for the subjects specified in Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this Article.

6. The Government of Vietnam stipulates other subjects besides those specified in Clauses 3, 4, and 5 of this Article; stipulates the issuance of health insurance cards for subjects managed by the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and the subjects specified in Point 1, Clause 3 of this Article; stipulates the roadmap for implementing health insurance, the scope of benefits, the level of health insurance benefits, health check-ups, medical treatment with health insurance, the management, and use of funds allocated for health check-ups, medical treatment with health insurance, health insurance appraisal, payment, and finalization of health insurance for the subjects specified in Point a, Clause 3 of this Article.

Simultaneously, according to the instructions for health insurance collection for students for the academic year 2023-2024 from Binh Phuoc Province Social Insurance (Download), it states that "Students are responsible for paying the required portion to the school where they are studying based on the financial year. The school compiles a list of students participating in health insurance (form D03-TS) by class with correct names, dates of birth, social insurance numbers, data files of students participating in health insurance, and the amount collected from students for social insurance management agency."

Therefore, according to the above regulations, students fall into the category of subjects with state budget support for health insurance contributions. Students and parents are responsible for paying the required amount to the insurance agency, and the school where the student is studying will be responsible for collecting it on behalf of the insurance agency.

Thus, students will purchase health insurance from the school where they are studying.

Note: A person who falls under multiple categories for participating in health insurance will pay health insurance according to the first category identified in the following order: Group where the employee and employer pay, Group where social insurance pays, Group with state budget paying, Group with state budget support for contribution, Group participating in health insurance according to the household.

Therefore, students from poor households; students from ethnic minorities living in difficult or exceptionally difficult areas; children of police officers, military personnel serving on active duty, etc., are not required to pay health insurance fees through the school.

Hence, not every student is required to buy/participate in health insurance through their school.

(Based on Decree 146/2018/ND-CP and 2008 Health Insurance Law)

Where shall people in Vietnam buy health insurance for students? (Image from the Internet)

What are regulations on current health insurance premium rates for students in Vietnam?

Based on the provisions of Article 7 of Decree 146/2018/ND-CP:

Contribution Levels and Responsibilities for Health Insurance

1. Monthly health insurance contributions of the following subjects are specified as follows:

a) Equal to 4.5% of the monthly salary of employees for subjects specified in Clause 1, Article 1 of this Decree.

- Employees during periods of leave for sickness policies of 14 days or more according to the provisions of the social insurance law are not required to pay health insurance but still enjoy health insurance benefits;

- Employees who are temporarily detained, held, or suspended from work for investigation purposes, pending the examination of whether they violated the law, will pay a monthly contribution equal to 4.5% of 50% of the employee’s monthly salary. If the competent authority concludes no violation of the law, employees must retroactively pay health insurance based on the retroactively received salary;

b) Equal to 4.5% of the pension, lost labor capacity allowance for subjects specified in Clause 1, Article 2 of this Decree;

c) Equal to 4.5% of the monthly salary of employees before taking maternity leave, for subjects specified in Clause 5, Article 2 of this Decree;

d) Equal to 4.5% of the unemployment allowance for subjects specified in Clause 6, Article 2 of this Decree;

dd) Equal to 4.5% of the statutory pay rate for other subjects;

e) The insurance contribution of subjects specified in Article 5 of this Decree is as follows: The first person contributes 4.5% of the statutory pay rate; the second, third, and fourth persons contribute 70%, 60%, 50% of the first person's rate, respectively; from the fifth person onward, the contribution is 40% of the first person’s rate.

The reduction in the contribution rate as specified in this section is applied when household members participate in health insurance within the same financial year.

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Thus, based on these regulations, the student’s health insurance contribution is calculated at 4.5% of the statutory pay rate.

The current statutory pay rate according to Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree 73/2024/ND-CP is VND 2,340,000/month.

From there, the student's health insurance contribution can be calculated as follows:Health insurance contribution = 4.5% of VND 2,340,000/month = VND 105,300/month (the State supports 30%, and the remaining part is paid by the student).

Note: Students participating in health insurance on a 6-month or 12-month basis will multiply the above-stated rate accordingly.

How much do students in Vietnam have to pay for health insurance with state budget support?

Based on the provisions of Article 8 of Decree 146/2018/ND-CP (amended by Point a, Clause 3, Article 1 of Decree 75/2023/ND-CP):

Support Levels from the State Budget

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

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b) Minimum support of 70% of the health insurance contribution for subjects specified in Clauses 1, 2, and 5, Article 4 of this Decree;

c) Minimum support of 30% of the health insurance contribution for subjects specified in Clauses 3 and 4, Article 4 of this Decree.

2. In cases where one person belongs to multiple categories eligible for state budget support as specified in Clause 1 of this Article, they will receive the highest support level.

3. The provincial People's Committees, based on local budget capacity and other legitimate sources, including 20% of the funds specified in Point a, Clause 3, Article 35 of the Health Insurance Law (if any), will develop and present to the Provincial People's Council the decision on higher support levels than the minimum support specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

Additionally, Clause 3, Article 4 of Decree 146/2018/ND-CP states:

Group with State Budget Support for Contribution

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3. Students.

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According to the above provisions, each month, students must pay a health insurance contribution equal to 4.5% of the statutory pay rate. Of that, the State supports 30%, equivalent to VND 31,590.