CELEBRATING VIETNAM’S HEALTH INSURANCE DAY 01/07/2022 "HEALTH INSURANCE - FOR HEALTH, HAPPINESS OF EVERY FAMILY"

According to statistics of Vietnam Social Insurance by the end of 2021, the number of people participating in health insurance is more than 88.8 million, reaching a coverage rate of 91.01% of the population.

In 2022, in response to Vietnam’s Health Insurance Day with the theme: "Medical insurance - for health and happiness of all families", the whole society should join hands to build and develop health insurance for the whole people's health. And participating in Health Insurance is the responsibility and right of each person, family, organization and the whole community.

The health insurance policy has contributed to reducing the household economic burden for health services, contributing to equity in health care, especially for disadvantaged groups in society such as the poor, the elderly, people with disabilities, people receiving social allowances and children under 6 years old.

For people with disabilities, according to Clause 2, Article 22 of the Law on People with Disabilities 2010, People with disabilities are entitled to health insurance policies in accordance with the law on health insurance. People with severe disabilities and people with extremely severe disabilities according to the law on people with disabilities are one of the targets receiving monthly social allowances (Article 5 of Decree 20/2020/ND-CP) and those belong to the group of receiving free health insurance. (Point g, Clause 3, Article 12 of the Law on Health Insurance 2014, amended and supplemented a number of articles of the Law on Health Insurance 2008).

However, at present, people with disabilities still face many difficulties in the process of medical examination and treatment at hospitals and accessing and using health insurance, especially those with hearing and speech disabilities, also known as people with hearing loss, including Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafened.

In 2021, the Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CED) implemented activities within the framework of the project "Promoting the initial legal support and implementing the Policy on medical examination and treatment for people with hearing loss (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened)” funded by the European Union, through the JIFF and Oxfam organization. CED has been and is still continuing to contribute opinions for the implementation of the policies that support people with hearing loss for better and better medical examination and treatment at hospitals, contributing to the achievement of the goal of national health insurance coverage rate in 2022 of 92.6% with the following recommendations:

- Recommendation of popularizing the newborn hearing screening program, promoting early detection, early intervention and early wearing of hearing aids.

- Recommendation of including hearing aids and cochlear implants in the list covered by Health Insurance.

- Recommendation that hospitals in Vietnam have sign language interpreters to assist Deaf/Hard of Hearing patients.

- Recommendations of adding other ways to support people with hearing loss (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened) in medical examination and treatment at hospitals.

On the occasion of Vietnam’s Health Insurance Day 2022, Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CED) wishes all the Management Boards, Staffs working in the field of Vietnam’s Social Insurance, Health Insurance good health, happiness and success!---

Video: Difficulties of people with hearing loss (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened) in visiting hospitals for medical examination and treatment and initial legal access. (Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5j-rB4r-os)

References:

1. Vietnam’s Social Insurance: https://baohiemxahoi.gov.vn/tintuc/Pages/linh-vuc-bao-hiem-y-te.aspx?CateID=0&ItemID=18722&OtItem=date

2. Regulations on Health Insurance for people with disability: https://luatminhkhue.vn/quy-dinh-ve-bao-hiem-y-te-doi-voi-nguoi-khuyet-tat.aspx

3. Report “The importance of health insurance for people with disability”, case studies in HCMC and Quang Binh, by Disability Research and Capacity Development (DRD), 2020 - 2021. 

4. Report on Survey results “Assessment of capacities for meeting the needs of patients with hearing loss: Case study of the Vietnam’s Hospital Quality Standards”, case study in HCMC, by Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CED), 2020 – 2021.