VietNamNet Bridge – Fees will increase at 378 public hospitals in June, under a decision by the HCM City's People Council as part of a three-year plan.

The approval of the fee rise was done following a joint circular issued by the ministries of Health and Finance, which outlined a maximum fee schedule for services at public hospitals across the country.

The higher charges will be applied to 2,000 types of medical services, including check-ups, beds for in-patients and technical services as well as surgery costs.

The fees for technical and testing services will increase to 75 per cent of the Health Ministry's ceiling rate from June 1, and will continue to rise to 85 per cent of the ceiling rate on June 1, 2015, before reaching the maximum level regulated by the ministry on June 1, 2016.

As for surgery-related services, the fees will increase to 75 per cent of the ministry's ceiling rate from June 1, and will continue to rise to 75 per cent of the ceiling rate on June 1, 2015, before reaching 100 per cent of the ceiling rate on June 1, 2016.

Medical experts said the hike would not affect people's pocketbooks very much as 63 per cent of them have bought health insurance.

In addition, the cost of medicine accounts for up to 60 per cent of medical services, while the cost for technical and testing service accounts for only 40 per cent of the total.

In addition, poor people or people living near the poverty line as well as children under the age of six benefit from other health incentive policies.

Dinh Thi Lieu, head of the city's Health Department's Finance and Accounting Department, said the Department of Health had set up a health insurance team to oversee the plan to improve the quality of services at public hospitals in the city.

The department has chosen several hospitals, including Nguyen Trai, Gia Dinh and Nhi Dong 1, to supervise how patients with health insurance can benefit from medical services at public hospitals, Lieu added.

The department will also continue to oversee public hospitals' commitments to use 15 per cent of medical check-ups fees to upgrade and expand check-up areas and buy new medical equipment, she said.

Source: VNS