Health insurance medical examination and treatment prices increased by 10%

Health insurance (BHTS) medical examination and treatment fees are adjusted to increase by about 10%, in which the price for one examination at a special and class I hospital is 42,100 VND.

This price frame is applied from November 17, according to Circular 22 just issued by the Ministry of Health adjusting medical examination and treatment fees after more than 4 months of basic salary increase from 1,490,000 VND to 1,800,000 VND.

Accordingly, the price of health insurance examination at special hospitals such as Bach Mai, Viet Duc, Cho Ray, Hue Central, Thai Nguyen Central, and 108 Military Central, increased from 38,700 VND to 42,100 VND. Commune health stations changed the price of medical examination from 27,500 VND to 30,100 VND. The average increase in hospital classes is from 2,600-3,400 VND per examination, or about 10% compared to the old price.

The price of a day in an intensive care unit also increased according to each hospital class, from 30,000 to 50,000 VND. For example, the price of a bed in a special class hospital increased to 509,400 VND, in a class I hospital it was 474,700 VND, and in a class II hospital it was 359,200 VND. The price of tests and techniques for more than 1,900 services also increased, such as the price of an ultrasound increased from 43,900 VND to 49,300 VND.

Medical examination and treatment prices are adjusted according to the minimum basic salary. In July, the Ministry of Health said that if hospital fees are adjusted according to the new basic salary of 1.8 million VND, the price of medical examination and treatment services will increase by 9%, of which the cost due to the adjustment of the basic salary is included in the price, accounting for 5%, the rest is management costs.

Regarding the impact of this adjustment, the Ministry of Health said that groups with health insurance cards, including the poor, ethnic minorities, and social policy beneficiaries, who are covered 100% by health insurance, will not be affected. For groups that have to co-pay 20% or 5%, the increase is not much and they can afford it because their income increases according to the base salary.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that currently, patients have to pay about 40% of the cost of medical examination and treatment, the rest is from health insurance. Mr. Thuan hopes that the price of medical services will be adjusted in the direction of correct and sufficient calculation, which will gradually reduce the "out of pocket" expenses of the people. "Calculating the correct price of medical services is an important factor to ensure the rights of patients, hospitals and medical staff," said the Deputy Minister.

Children receiving treatment at Children's Hospital 2, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, July 2023. Photo: Quynh Tran

In early 2023, the National Assembly passed the amended Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, stipulating that the price of medical examination and treatment services includes many different types of costs combined. These are labor costs (salaries, wages, contributions based on salaries and allowances of medical staff); direct costs including drugs, chemicals, blood, blood products, raw materials, materials, tools, services, fuel, energy used for medical examination and treatment, equipment depreciation, which are also included in the price of medical examination and treatment services; management costs such as maintenance, repair, environmental protection, infection control, training, scientific research.

These costs are added together to solve the problem of "calculating the correct and sufficient" medical examination and treatment costs, which many hospitals have recently reported as "outdated". For example, Bach Mai Hospital charges 43,900 VND per ultrasound, which is not enough to cover the wear and tear of the machines, not to mention the labor costs. With a large number of patients, the hospital's revenue is still limited, making it difficult to balance income and expenditure, and unable to retain doctors and nurses.

Le Nga

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