Hanoi (VNA) -From June, 1,900 medical services will have new price ceilings, which means therate for many services will rise two- or three-fold, as per a recent healthministry circular.

Underthis, patients with terminal illness or those in need advanced hi-techtreatment will have to pay a very steep fee if they don’t have healthinsurance. As it is, many people without insurance are already forced to offertheir homes and properties as collateral for loans taken to pay for treatmentand other hospital costs, as they have to pay the entire cost without any cuts.

Thiscircular is the latest attempt by the Government to encourage people to jointhe State-sponsored health insurance programme as the country aims foruniversal health care coverage.

Hospital fees incurred by patients without insurance will be raised to accountfor the hospital staff’s shift remuneration and salary, as well as for surgeryfees and other medical procedures.

Specifically,the medical examination fee – after all the above-mentioned additional fees areincluded – will go up from the current 20,000 VND (0.88 USD) a consultation to39,000 VND (1.7 USD) in special-class and Class 1 hospitals (under themanagement of the Ministry of Health or provincial/municipal people’scommittees).

In Class 2 hospitals (under the management of provincial/municipal departmentsof health), it will rise from 15,000 VND (0.66 USD) to 35,000 VND (1.5 USD);while in Class 3 hospitals (under the management of provincial/municipaldepartments of health, serving residents of a district or a certain number ofdistricts), it will rise from 10,000 VND (0.44 USD) to 31,000 VND (1.4 USD).The price of some medical procedures and surgeries will also increase by 20-30percent compared to current rate.

However, the costs for services such as cosmetic services, denture replacements,hearing aids, myopia and other refractive eye problems for insurancecardholders will be the same as those who don’t have insurance, the circularstates.

The circular’s provisions will apply to publicmedical centres, people who have not enrolled into health insurance programme,health insurance cardholders who seek treatments or medical services notcovered by Social Insurance fund.

According to the health ministry, Vietnamcurrently has 75 million health insurance cardholders, or 81.3 percent of thepopulation, which means nearly 20 percent of the country is uninsured, most ofwhom have above average living standards.-VNA