Vietnam is taking measures to expand health insurance coverage tomore HIV/AIDS patients, as only 30 percent are currently covered.
These measures are part of efforts to gradually shift the payment oftreatment fees from foreign-funded project and programme resources tothe country’s health insurance fund.
The healthsector is encouraging people living with HIV to go to local medicalfacilities where health insurance cards cover all of their treatmentcosts, instead of outpatient clinics.
Unfortunately, many patients are still avoiding visiting medicalfacilities near their homes over concerns that relatives, friends andneighbours will become aware of their HIV status and stigmatise them,posing a significant barrier to covered health insurance treatments.
To widen the health insurance coverage, expertspropose applying health insurance card payments in outpatient clinicsand HIV test centres under the Health Ministry’s Preventive MedicineDepartment, the preferred access sites for people living with HIV.
According to the Director of the general hospital of Tinh Biendistrict in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, Duong Hoang Dung,their outpatient clinic has been working as a facility of the generalhospital since April of 2012, facilitating the acceptance of healthinsurance cards in outpatient clinics.
Currently, 415 out of the 542 known HIV/AIDS patients in the districthave insurance cards, or an impressive 76.5 percent. Health insurancehas also helped Tinh Bien reduce international project spending byroughly 60 million VND (2,820 USD) on check-ups and treatment.
Looking forward, the health sector plans to mobilise resources fromthe State budget to simplify access to insurance for people living withHIV, including subsidising part or all of the insurance card fees forthose living near or below the poverty line.-VNA
These measures are part of efforts to gradually shift the payment oftreatment fees from foreign-funded project and programme resources tothe country’s health insurance fund.
The healthsector is encouraging people living with HIV to go to local medicalfacilities where health insurance cards cover all of their treatmentcosts, instead of outpatient clinics.
Unfortunately, many patients are still avoiding visiting medicalfacilities near their homes over concerns that relatives, friends andneighbours will become aware of their HIV status and stigmatise them,posing a significant barrier to covered health insurance treatments.
To widen the health insurance coverage, expertspropose applying health insurance card payments in outpatient clinicsand HIV test centres under the Health Ministry’s Preventive MedicineDepartment, the preferred access sites for people living with HIV.
According to the Director of the general hospital of Tinh Biendistrict in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, Duong Hoang Dung,their outpatient clinic has been working as a facility of the generalhospital since April of 2012, facilitating the acceptance of healthinsurance cards in outpatient clinics.
Currently, 415 out of the 542 known HIV/AIDS patients in the districthave insurance cards, or an impressive 76.5 percent. Health insurancehas also helped Tinh Bien reduce international project spending byroughly 60 million VND (2,820 USD) on check-ups and treatment.
Looking forward, the health sector plans to mobilise resources fromthe State budget to simplify access to insurance for people living withHIV, including subsidising part or all of the insurance card fees forthose living near or below the poverty line.-VNA
