Monitoring the implementation of health insurance medical examination and treatment using chip-based citizen identification cards in Vietnam

Monitoring the implementation of health insurance medical examination and treatment using chip-based citizen identification cards in Vietnam​ (Image from the Internet)

Pilot healthcare services with health insurance using chip-based citizen identification cards

The Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 931/BYT-BH on February 28, 2022, to units providing guidelines on piloting healthcare services covered by health insurance using chip-based citizen identification card or through the national electronic identification application of the Ministry of Public Security (VNeID).

Specifically, healthcare facilities must publicly inform patients and proceed with welcoming patients for healthcare services covered by health insurance using chip-based citizen identification card or through the VNeID application (only applicable to citizens who have successfully registered for an electronic identification account provided by the Ministry of Public Security).

For patients already issued with chip-based citizen identification card:

- In cases where the citizen identification card check (QR code scan) or VNeID application verification shows valid health insurance participation information, the healthcare facility must check, cross-check this information and welcome patients following the current health insurance healthcare process; inform patients to use chip-based citizen identification card or the VNeID application for future health insurance healthcare visits;

- In cases where verification does not show valid health insurance information: Explain to the patient the status of their health insurance card on citizen identification card, continue welcoming patients according to the current health insurance healthcare process (presenting the health insurance card and photo ID).

For patients not yet issued chip-based citizen identification card: Continue welcoming patients according to the current health insurance healthcare process (presenting health insurance card and photo ID).

Urgent implementation of healthcare services covered by health insurance using chip-based citizen identification card in Vietnam

On November 29, 2022, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 6914/BYT-BH urging the implementation of healthcare services covered by health insurance using chip-based citizen identification card.

The reported data shows that nearly 9 months into the pilot, the number of people using health insurance health services who had their information verified via chip-based citizen identification card remains very low, with a low success rate.

To address this issue, the Ministry of Health requests the heads of units to:

- Promptly direct units under their management to review the status of the pilot implementation of health insurance healthcare services using chip-based citizen identification card or through the VNeID application of the Ministry of Public Security according to instructions from the Government of Vietnam and the Ministry of Health.

When encountering difficulties, unit heads should directly discuss with provincial social insurance agencies and cooperate with PC 06 of provincial public security to promptly address and resolve issues.

- Strictly organize the implementation in accordance with the directives and guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Social Security, striving to achieve by the end of 2022 that 100% of health insurance healthcare facilities nationwide implement healthcare services covered by health insurance using chip-based citizen identification card, with 20% of people utilizing health insurance healthcare services having their health insurance information verified via chip-based citizen identification card or VNeID application.

- Enhance information and communication efforts across all available mass media so the public understands the conveniences and benefits, gradually changing habits to use chip-based citizen identification card or install the VNeID application on smartphones for health insurance healthcare services.

- Regularly check, supervise, and promptly compile, report difficulties to competent authorities (in writing) encountered during the implementation organization.

The Department of Health is responsible for compiling difficulties from units under its management; the head of the health sector under ministries directly reports difficulties from their units, sending them to the Ministry of Health (via the Health Insurance Department) for consideration and resolution.

More details can be found in Official Dispatch 6914/BYT-BH dated November 29, 2022.

Nhu Mai

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