Tien Giang aims to expand health insurance coverage

Tien Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang will take numerous measures to have more than 1.3 million people with health insurance this year, accounting for 75 percent of the population.

To realise the targets, the province will strive to provide the service for additional 207,000 people, said Deputy Director of the provincial Social Insurance Office Pham Thi My at a May 12 conference on the implementation of health insurance tasks in the province in 2016.

Communication work will be promoted to raise the awareness of the Law on Health Insurance among labourers and enterprises.

The network of agents will be developed in all communes, wards and townships as well as at post offices and health clinics across the province.

By March, Tien Giang had over 1.1 million health insurance card holders, or 63.32 percent of the population, a fall of 2.73 percent from late last year.

The revised Health Insurance Law stipulates that as from January 1, 2016, people with health insurance cards at district level can access check-ups or treatment at any district-level health facility they want within their province, without requiring referral papers as before. They will also get full insurance cover for hospital expenses.-VNA