Vietnam: What is the Department of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies?

Vietnam: What is the Department of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies? (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. What is the Department of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies?

The Department of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies is an organization assisting the General Director of Vietnam Social Insurance (hereinafter referred to as the General Director), and has the function of assisting the General Director in managing and directing the field of pharmacy and medical supplies in medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance in accordance with law.

The Pharmacy and Medical Supplies Department is under the direct and comprehensive management of the General Director.

(Article 1 of Decision 1270/QD-BHXH 2014)

2. Tasks and powers of the Board of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies in Vietnam

The tasks and powers of the Board of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies are defined in Article 2 of Decision 1270/QD-BHXH 2014, including:

- Advise and assist the General Director to propose to the Government and relevant ministries and branches to develop, amend, and supplement legal documents in the field of drugs, medical supplies, and the supply of drugs and medical supplies in medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance.

- Research, develop, and submit to the General Director for promulgation documents guiding and directing in the field of pharmacy and medical supplies in medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance.

- Advise and assist the General Director in managing the list and prices of drugs and medical supplies used in medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance at medical examination and treatment establishments.

- Help the General Director: participate in the National Advisory Council on Drug Bidding; participate in the process of selecting drug suppliers for concentrated drug procurement and negotiating drug prices at the national level; publicize the price at which each winning drug is paid and the average price of the winning drug paid from the health insurance fund of each hospital, locality, and the Ministry of Health on the website of Vietnam Social Insurance.

- Guide and inspect the Social Insurance of the provinces and centrally-run cities participating in the Bidding Council for the supply of drugs and medical supplies under the health insurance regime for medical examination and treatment establishments.

- Guide the Social Insurance of the Provinces and Cities directly under the Central Government, the Center for Health Insurance Assessment and Multi-Payment in the North and the South, and Social Insurance: The Ministry of National Defense and People's Public Security shall pay the costs of drugs and medical supplies according to the health insurance regime.

- Participate in and coordinate with the Health Insurance Policy Implementation Board in guiding the assessment of the costs of drugs and medical supplies under the health insurance regime.

- Check and supervise the management and use of expenses for drugs and medical supplies according to the health insurance regime. Participating in the inspection team for medical examination and treatment under the health insurance regime.

- Develop a system of lists and provide information on prices of drugs and medical supplies in service of the management and payment of costs of drugs and medical supplies in medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance.

- Resolve problems, recommendations, and complaints of organizations and individuals on issues related to the management, use, and payment of drugs and medical supplies under the health insurance regime.

- Participating in scientific research, training, retraining, professional training, and propaganda of regimes, policies, and laws on health insurance in the field of drugs and medical supplies.

- Manage civil servants, public employees, and the assets of the unit according to regulations.

- Comply with the information, statistics, and reporting regime as prescribed.

- Perform other tasks assigned by the General Director.

3. Management and operation regime of the Department of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies in Vietnam

- The Department of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies is managed and operated by the Head of the Board according to the head's regime. The Chairman of the Board is responsible to the General Director and to the law for all activities of the Board. Assisting the Head of the Committee are the Deputy Heads of the Committee. The Head and Deputy Heads of the Committee are appointed, dismissed, transferred, rewarded, and disciplined by the General Director.

- The head of the committee promulgates regulations on the assignment of tasks, working relationships, and working habits of the board and urges and inspects the implementation of such regulations.

- The head of the committee assigns or authorizes the deputy head to handle the work under the authority of the head of the committee. The Deputy Head of the Committee is responsible to the Head of the Committee for the assigned tasks. The head of the committee is responsible for the decision of the deputy head of the committee assigned or authorized to deal with it.

(Article 3 of Decision 1270/QD-BHXH 2014)

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