Vietnam Aims for 100% National Health Insurance Coverage by 2030

The Vietnamese government has set an ambitious target of achieving 100% national health insurance coverage by 2030. To reach this goal, the government plans to strengthen support for policy beneficiaries and the poor to promote health insurance enrollment. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has signed Decision No. 1468/QD-TTg, assigning specific health insurance coverage targets to the People's Committees of provinces and cities for the period 2026-2030. The national coverage rate is set to reach 95.98% in 2026, rising to 96.86% in 2027, 97.76% in 2028, and 98.67% in 2029, with the ultimate goal of 100% by 2030. Specific targets for 2026 include 96.25% for Hanoi and 96% for Ho Chi Minh City. For provinces, Cao Bang is targeted at 99.36%, Lao Cai at 97%, and Dien Bien at 98.47%. By 2030, all provinces are expected to achieve 100% coverage. The Ministry of Health has been tasked with studying and proposing measures to increase the level of support for health insurance contributions for policy beneficiaries, near-poor households, people with disabilities, and vulnerable groups, as well as refining legal documents related to health insurance to ensure sustainable maintenance and increased participation. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for implementing these directives, developing effective solutions to expand the health insurance participant base, and providing guidance to local authorities on calculating coverage rates. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance will collaborate with the Ministry of Health to propose relevant policies, mechanisms, and financial plans for expanding participation and contributions to the government and Prime Minister. The Vietnam Social Security is directed to innovate its communication, dissemination, and legal education methods regarding health insurance to enhance public understanding of its significance and humanitarian value, and to encourage family-based enrollment. Administrative procedures will be streamlined, with a focus on providing full online public services to facilitate enrollment. Efforts will also be made to strengthen IT infrastructure and data sharing to support state management of health insurance. Provincial People's Committees are required to incorporate the assigned coverage targets into their local socio-economic development plans and annual/long-term programs. This initiative is seen as a crucial step towards achieving universal health insurance, aligning with the Communist Party of Vietnam's policy objective of improving the health and welfare of its citizens.