Vietnam is actively realising its target of expanding health insurance network to cover the whole population thanks to the balance of national social insurance fund, Deputy Health Minister Pham Le Tuan has said.

More than two-thirds of the people nationwide have engaged in the social insurance so far this year as a result of the Law on Health Insurance and the Political Bureau’s Resolution No.21-NQ/TW on strengthening the Party’s leadership over social and medical insurance until 2020, he noted.

Speaking at the December 23 conference in Ho Chi Minh City, he said that the country aims to extend health insurance coverage to 80 percent of its total population by 2020, utilise effectively the social and medical insurance funds in the long run, and build a modern system for the field.

Participants suggested encouraging people to apply for voluntary health insurance, adjusting the price of healthcare services, and shifting from individual to family health insurance.

The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs should also set specific regulations and criteria on the average living standards for local agriculture, fisheries and forestry labourers so that they can become eligible to enjoy the 30 percent subsidy of health insurance premium supported by the State, they said.-VNA