Ho Chi Minh City health officials will start next month increasing medical service fees at 378 public hospitals and health centers to as much as 75 percent of the ceiling rates regulated by the Ministry of Health, according to a recent decision of the city authorities.
So far the city is the only locality in Vietnam that has not increased such fees, which are governed by Joint Circular 04 issued in February 2012 by the Ministries of Finance and Health.
The circular sets out a new maximum fee for health services at state-owned hospitals and health centers nationwide.
This ruling took effect on April 15, 2012, and the city People’s Committee submitted a proposal to the People’s Council to hike medical service fees on August 1, 2013.
On second thought, the People’s Committee decided to withdraw its proposal in July 2013, with a view to avoid putting further financial pressure on citizens given the adverse socio-economic conditions at that time.
3-year roadmap
It was not until May 9 this year that the city People’s Committee ratified a decision to raise medical fees after the city People’s Council approved a plan under which the fees will be gradually increased in three years before reaching the caps allowed by the health ministry in 2016.
Accordingly, as of June 1, 2014, a group of 477 medical services, including bed charges, medical tests, technical services not involving surgery will be hiked to as much as 75 percent of the caps, while 1,519 other services, including operations, will be raised to the level equal to 65 percent of the ceilings.
From June 1, 2015, the fees of these two groups will continue rising to 85 percent and 75 percent of the maximum rates, respectively.
They will reach 100 percent of the caps on June 1 the following year.
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