The Ministry of Health said that from October 12 medical fees will hike in five northern cities and provinces including Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Hanoi; four central provinces: Quang Binh, Phu Yen, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, the central highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Nong, Dak Lak and southern province of Long An, Binh Duong and Tra Vinh.

Nguyen Nam Lien, head of the Ministry’s Department of Finance and Planning, said that medical fee in the mentioned above cities and province will increase by 18 percent compared to previous level and being just applied for patients with health insurance cards. 

He said that the medical fee increase is implemented in a set road map and in a bid to improve examination and treatment quality. 

Currently, Vietnam Social insurance has covered 95 percent of medical services. With 80 percent of patients having medical insurance cards, will benefit from it. 

Those who did not buy medical insurance will have great burden of finance when they fall ill. 

From March, 2016 medical fee had been adjusted two times for patients with insurance cards.

It is scheduled that there will three more adjustments from now to end of the year in remaining cities and provinces cross over the country. 

SGGP