Director Phan Van Men told Sai Gon Giai Phong reporter that this year the Prime Minister gave the city VND1,800 billion to pay for treatment activities.
The sum includes VND9,574 billion for covering medical treatment of insured city dwellers and VND8,616 billion of insured patients from other provinces.
However, the number of insured patients by August 31, 2019 was 7,281,390, an increase of 490,000 compared to the same period last year.
Worse, additional 200,000 patients will buy insurance card from now to the end of the year; accordingly, medical insurance fee will rise, as Mr. Men said.
On the other hand, big hospitals Ho Chi Minh City have been equipped to attract many insurers from all corners of the country. As a result, medical insurance fee in the city is estimated to be short of VND 1,800 billion, he concluded.
Director Men said that in first eight months of the year, the agency has paid VND13,099 billion for medical treatment of insurers.
According to him, the cause of fund shortage is because physicians of self-financing medical institutions asked insured patients to underway many services.
Moreover, more insurers have been asked to stay in hospitals.
On the other hand, as per the Ministry of Health’s circular 39/2018, hospital raised treatment fee for better quality.
Mr. Men affirmed that presently, the insurance agency is asking medical facilities to control medical insurance and not abuse the fund.
Plus, the agency is using software to manage spending in each medical centers. The agency has refused to pay cases which have improperly spent the fund as well as kept an eye on medical facilities with high payment of insurance.
