FV Hospital makes efforts to reduce financial burden on patients with health insurance

Hanoi (VNA) – The FV (France-Vietnam) Hospital has officially signed an important agreement with Ho Chi Minh City’s Social Security Agency on expanding the scope of national health insurance-supported medical check-ups and treatment for high-tech treatment services at the hospital.

Accordingly, Ho Chi Minh City’s Social Security Agency will pay for insurance card holders who visit the hospital for health examination and treatment at the hospital’s high-tech wards, such as Interventional Cardiology, Orthopaedics, Oncology and Ophthalmology. This initiative by the FV Hospital aims to reduce the burden of hospital fees on patients and their families, and open up more opportunities for more people to experience the hospital’s international-standard medical care through their national health insurance.

Patients using health insurance cards at the hospital will enjoy the same services like those without health insurance cards. They can also use two types of health insurance, including national, private or international health insurance, at the same time.

Specifically, according to the newly-signed agreement, the Social Security Agency will pay for patients designated to perform treatment services such as: surveying techniques and interventional treatment at Cardiac Intervention Room (Cathlab), including imaging, angioplasty, stenting, and pacemaker implantation; shoulder, knee and hip replacement services at the Trauma and Orthopaedics Department; and some surgeries related to lens and retina at the Ophthalmology Department.

In 2015, Ho Chi Minh City’s Social Security Agency signed a contract with the FV Hospital, agreeing to pay for cancer patients treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy at the Oncology Department (Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre), including the cost of treatment techniques and chemotherapy drugs. Thousands of patients have been supported with up to 50 percent of the total treatment cost through this cooperation programme. To date, the highest amount paid for one patient exceeds 1 billion VND (43,600 USD).

Pham Thi Thanh Mai, the hospital’s chief operating officer (COO), said: “FV is a hospital funded by 100 percent foreign investment capital which owns a comprehensive system of modern facilities. FV brings together leading doctors and experts in healthcare from Vietnam and abroad and is committed to working with the Vietnamese Government to realise our shared goals of ensuring the health and well-being of Vietnamese citizens, reducing overcrowding in public hospitals, and helping more people to have every opportunity to access international quality healthcare services.”

“When visiting FV, all patients, regardless of their nationality or economic situation, receive attentive, dedicated care. FV has no “separate flow” for treating patients who have health insurance. We do not make any distinctions between patients,” added Mai.

Stemming from the fact that many patients face difficulties in conduct insurance procedures and documents and to ensure maximum benefits for patients with health insurance cards, the FV Hospital has installed an insurance consultation and support area at the lobby staffed by specialists in this field. They will advise and help patients to solve any issues related to documents and procedures, so that patients can enjoy their benefits in the shortest time.

This move helps to realise the wish of the hospital’s Management Board to ensure more people can access subsidised international-standard medical care services in Vietnam when participating in health insurance./.