The Ministry of Health has proposed a new proposal on free periodic health check-ups and basic hospital fees for people.

The Ministry of Health proposes to regulate the exemption of hospital fees at a basic level for people within the scope of health insurance benefits according to a roadmap, in accordance with the country's socio-economic development conditions.

People get blood drawn and health check-ups at Bach Mai Hospital - Photo: NAM TRAN

The Ministry of Justice has published the appraisal dossier of the National Assembly's draft resolution on a number of mechanisms and policies to create breakthroughs in the work of protecting, caring for and improving people's health. The draft was chaired by the Ministry of Health.

The draft aims to institutionalize Resolution 72 of the Politburo on a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health. At the same time, it will be submitted to the National Assembly at the upcoming 10th session.

About 20 million people will receive free periodic health check-ups from 2026

Notably, the draft proposes solutions to gradually reduce medical costs for people.

Accordingly, periodic health check-ups or free screenings are carried out at least once a year according to priority groups and schedules.

From 2026, continue to implement periodic health check-ups and screening for subjects according to the provisions of law.

The state budget guarantees funding through the Health Insurance Fund to conduct periodic health check-ups, or free screening at least once a year for subjects not covered by the law regarding funding sources for periodic health check-ups.

The drafting agency stated that this content is aimed at institutionalizing Resolution 72 of the Politburo. At the same time, the current Law on Health Insurance does not allow payment for periodic health check-ups and screening, so a resolution of the National Assembly is needed to implement it.

The drafting agency stated that in the immediate future, free periodic health check-ups will be carried out for the elderly, people with disabilities, people from poor and near-poor households, people with meritorious services, people living in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, areas with difficult or especially difficult socio-economic conditions, island communes, and special economic zones.

The estimated number of people is about 20 million and the state budget is about 6,000 billion VND/year, and the subjects will be gradually increased according to the roadmap.

At the same time, there are no regulations on screening examination because the content has been stipulated in the Law on Disease Prevention, and the funding source has been arranged in the national target program on health care, population and development for the period 2026-2030.

Free hospital fees at the basic level within the scope of health insurance benefits according to the roadmap

The draft also stipulates the implementation of basic exemption of hospital fees within the scope of health insurance benefits according to a roadmap, in accordance with the country's socio-economic development conditions.

From 2027, the benefit level within the scope of health insurance benefits will be increased from 95% to 100% for people in near-poor households as prescribed in the Law on Health Insurance, and the elderly aged 75 and over who are receiving social retirement benefits.

This content, according to the drafting agency, also aims to specify the tasks assigned in Resolution 72 of the Politburo.

Currently, according to the drafting agency, the benefit level is regulated in Article 22 of the Law on Health Insurance, so a resolution of the National Assembly is needed to implement it.

According to Article 22 of the current Law on Health Insurance, depending on the subject, health insurance participants will be paid by the Health Insurance Fund from 80 - 100% of the cost for one medical examination and treatment.

The drafting agency also stated that this will be implemented for some groups of subjects, and will be implemented according to a roadmap for the remaining groups of subjects according to Government regulations.

Salary ranking from level 2 for doctors, preventive medicine doctors, pharmacists

Draft regulations on salary classification from level 2 of recruited professional titles for doctors, preventive medicine doctors, and pharmacists.

People who regularly and directly work in medical professions in the fields of psychiatry, forensic medicine, forensic psychiatry, emergency resuscitation, and pathology are entitled to 100% preferential occupational allowance.

People who regularly and directly work in medical profession at commune-level health stations and preventive health facilities are entitled to preferential occupational allowances at the following levels: 100% for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, areas with difficult socio-economic conditions, areas with especially difficult socio-economic conditions, border areas, and islands. At least 70% for cases not falling under the above categories.

THANH CHUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bo-y-te-de-xuat-moi-ve-mien-phi-kham-suc-khoe-dinh-ky-vien-phi-co-ban-cho-nguoi-dan-20250927082248297.htm