The Government has issued a new decree which gives detailed guidance for implementing a number of regulations in the Law on Health Insurance.

Decree 62/2009/ND-CP will be put into effect on October 1 and replace previous decrees.

Under the new decree, from July 1 to December 31, rubber workers will pay 3 percent of their monthly salary on health insurance.

Starting January 1 next year, workers who suffer from diseases requiring prolonged treatment must pay 4.5 percent of their monthly salary on health insurance.

The decree also applies to part-time employees working at commune, wards and townships.

From January 2012, workers in agriculture, forestry, fishery and salt will have to pay 4.5 percent of their minimum salaries on insurance.

As of January 2014, members of cooperatives and private businesses will pay 4.5 percent of their minimum salaries on insurance.

The State began to pay half of the insurance funds for people whose income is near the poverty line starting July 1 this year.

Rural residents whose average income is no more than 350,000 VND (19 USD) a month and urban residents with an average income of less than 450,000 VND (25 USD) a month are considered living near the poverty line.

From January next year, students will have 30 percent of their health insurance paid for, and students whose families’ incomes are near the poverty line will have 50 percent of their insurance paid for.

Since July this year, students in urban areas will pay 60,000 VND (3 USD) a month on health insurance, and those who live in rural areas will pay 50,000 VND (2.7 USD).

Urban residents must pay 160,000 VND (8.8 USD) for health insurance a month, and rural residents must pay 120,000 VND (6.5 USD).

People working in public security and children under six will not have to pay any fees for their health checks and disease treatments.

People receiving pensions, those from poor families, or ethnic minorities who buy health insurance, will pay 5 percent of their fees for health checks and treatment./.