Medical fee not hike from August 1

As a road map, in August 2016, prices of medical services will be applied in state-owned hospitals in 10 central cities and provinces having the ratio of health insurance participants of 90-95 percent which include doctors and nurses’ wage and labor.

Yet, the Ministry fretted that medical hike will affect on the country's consumer price index (CPI) at present so it must re-consider.

Before, from March 1, 2016, the prices of 1,900 medical services at public health facilities have been hiked to be equal to 30 percent of the respective ceiling rate as per the two ministries’ joint Circular 37/2015.

In order to spare residents a financial burden and slightly affect CPI, the city authorities have set up a five-step roadmap for the price hike. From now to end of 2017, medical workers’ salary will include in medical service fee in state-owned medical facilities across the country. 

The application of new fee will be carried out in 8 – 12 cities and provinces nationwide. Of these, the first step of the road map will be conducted in districts with the ratio of medical insurance participants of 95 percent. The second will be in localities with health insurance participant proportion of 90 percent. The third in districts having health insurance participant proportion of 85 percent, the fourth of health insurance participant rate of 80 percent and the five will be in remaining provinces. 

According to the Vietnam Insurance Society Company, after new fee application since March 1, the Ministry of Health has inspected hospitals to check its medical service quality.

In order to better serve patients, all hospitals are required to increase the number of examination tables, open more medicine delivery counters, and improve their process of collecting hospital. Through inspection, medical service quality has been improved yet there has been complaints of medical workers’ behaviors.

(Source:SGGP)