Vietnam: Is it mandatory to stick a photo on the health insurance card?

LawNet would like to answer these questions as following:

1. Provisions on Health Insurance Card

Pursuant to Clause 1 Article 2 and Clause 1 Article 16 of the Law on Health Insurance 2008 of Vietnam:

A health insurance card is granted to an insured as a basis for enjoying health insurance benefits, for non-profit purposes, organized by the State.

Thus, a health insurance card is a document proving that a person has participated in health insurance. The person's information will be reflected on the front of the card (including: code, full name, date of birth, gender, portrait photo,...).

2. Is it mandatory to stick a photo on the health insurance card?

Pursuant to Clause 6 Article 12 Decree No. 146/2018/NĐ-CP:

“Photo of the policyholder (not applicable to children under 6 years of age) in case where he/she does not have any photo personal identification document issued by competent bodies or authorities, or any certificate issued by commune-level police authorities or other documents endorsed by educational institutions or vocational education establishments in charge of management of pupils or students, or other legitimate personal identity documents.”

“Ảnh của người tham bảo hiểm y tế (trừ trẻ em dưới 6 tuổi) đối với trường hợp người tham gia bảo hiểm y tế không có giấy tờ xác nhận nhân thân có ảnh do cơ quan, tổ chức có thẩm quyền cấp hoặc Giấy xác nhận của Công an cấp xã hoặc giấy tờ khác có xác nhận của cơ sở giáo dục, cơ sở giáo dục nghề nghiệp nơi quản lý học sinh, sinh viên, hoặc giấy tờ chứng minh nhân thân hợp pháp khác.”

According to this provision, to stick a picture on the health insurance card is only applicable to those who do not have any type of legal identity document with a photo (for example, ID card, citizen ID card or driver's license, student card…).

Thus people who participates in health insurance going for medical examination and treatment, when carrying out the procedures, they need to present another type of identification document with another photo, if not, they have to paste a photo as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 15 of Decree No. 146/2018/NĐ-CP.

3. Is it legal to stick a photo on your health insurance card?

Pursuant to Point b Clause 1 Article 4 Official Dispatch No. 4996/BHXH-CSYT dated November 29 2018:

““The social insurance agency instructs participants to submit 02 photos (2x3cm in size), 01 photo is pasted at the specified position on the health insurance card (with a stamped embossed miniature of the border of the social insurance agency between the photo and the health insurance card); 01 photo to be kept with the application for the health insurance card.”

Accordingly, people are not allowed to arbitrarily paste photos. The pasting of photos must be done and stamped by the Social Insurance Agency to be considered valid.

The latest form of health insurance card is issued under Decision No. 1666/QD-BHXH, applied from April 01, 2021.

Duc Dung

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