It can be seen that, in the face of complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic in the world as well as in Vietnam, when the whole country is trying to face its fourth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, the health insurance policy has clearly shown its preeminent role.
Right from the beginning of the epidemic until now, the health insurance fund has been used to pay for testing costs for people with health insurance cards in case implementation of medical isolation measures, coercive medical isolation, and Covid-19 infected people undergoing medical examination and treatment at medical facilities, as well as cases of medical examination and treatment of suspected symptoms, which are designated by medical facilities to require testing.
For cases of Covid-19, the health insurance fund undertakes to pay the cost of medical examination and treatment for other diseases as prescribed, except for medical examination and treatment expenses due to Covid-19 which have been paid by the state budget.
More importantly, the more than 90% of the population participating in health insurance, especially those who are facing difficulties due to the impact of Covid-19, can safely use necessary medical services to care for and improve their health to be ready to face the epidemic.
In addition, during the time of prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, in order to ensure the benefits of participants, Vietnam Social Security (VSS) is cooperating with ministries and sectors to actively guide and create the best conditions for health insurance participants, such as: providing long-term drugs, providing drugs for chronic patients for two to three months, and avoiding the need for patients to go to medical facilities many times.
Local social insurance agencies take initiative in administrative reforms in the field of health insurance, such as applying information technology in declaration, making lists, organising agents, directly paying expenses, providing feedback and providing information.
And notably, from June 1, the Ministry of Health is allowing people nationwide to use the image of the health insurance card on the "VssID - Digital Social Insurance" application instead of the paper health insurance card when going for medical examination and treatment.
Statistics of VSS show that by the end of 2020, there are 87.93 million people participating in health insurance, reaching 90.85% of the population.
This is considered a success in the implementation of the health insurance policy, further showing the efforts and flexibility of the Vietnam's social insurance industry in mobilising and converting groups of subjects participating in health insurance in accordance with reality, as well as in propaganda and advocacy work, especially in the context of the difficulties caused by the epidemic, which has lasted from the beginning of 2020 until now, causing a number of businesses to stop operating or dissolve, with many workers participating social insurance and health insurance participants who lost their jobs having to temporarily stop the payment of social insurance and health insurance premiums.
Important messages, from urgent requirements and practical life, were given on Vietnam's Health Insurance Day 2021, such as: “Universal health insurance contributes to improving health and repelling COVID-19”; “Improving the quality of medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance, meeting the satisfaction of patients, towards universal health insurance”; and “The whole society joins hands for 100% of people to participate in health insurance”.
All messages emphasise the factor of accessing people's interests and needs. It can be said that realising the goal of universal health insurance is an important and urgent solution in the context of the current epidemic, and at the same time is the basic method to achieve the goal of all people receiving health care not only of Vietnam but of most countries in the world.
