Overview

Viet Nam operates a national voluntary health insurance scheme, where the premiums depend on the employees’ monthly salary.

Those insured are Vietnamese workers whose labour contracts are for at least three months, or an indefinite term, with any organisation from every economic sector, state offices and units, political organisations or socio- political organisations.

Health insurance cards are issued as evidence of entitlement to health insurance, and they can be re-issued or renewed if lost or damaged.

The maximum monthly health insurance premium is 6% of an employee’s salary, of which the employer pays two thirds and the employee pays the rest. During a period of maternity leave, a female employee and her employer are exempt from paying health insurance premiums. The female employee is, however, considered as continuously insured and all benefits remain unchanged.

National health insurance for foreigners

A foreign employee who has a contract for at least three months with any agency, organisation, or private enterprise is required to take out national health insurance. The monthly premium for foreign employees is 4.5% of salary, of which 3% is paid by the employer, and the remaining 1.5% by the employee.

The health insurance premium is calculated from the total salary written in the labour contract. If this salary is more than 20 times the national monthly minimum wage, the maximum health insurance premium is calculated from the figure of 20 times the national monthly minimum wage.

If the foreign employee’s salary is paid in a foreign currency, the figure will be changed into VND before health insurance premium rates are calculated. The exchange rate will be the average inter-bank exchange rate, as defined by the State Bank of Viet Nam. It is declared twice a year, on 2 January and 1 July or the next working day.

Employers and employees can choose to pay health insurance premiums every six months or annually. Within the same organisation, the plan should be co-joined to other existing employees’ terms of health insurance renewal.

Health insurance benefits

Health insurance benefits apply when having any type of health assessment at any state or private health care facility that is in cooperation with the insurance scheme. The insured will be charged a small part of the total cost of the health care service, which is already lower than normal.

The insured person is advised by the insurance provider to select the most favourable health facility for their initial health care needs. This health facility can be changed every quarter.

If the insured takes a health assessment at a health facility which is not covered by their insurance plan, he/she must present his/her insurance card before paying the full cost in order to be refunded by the Social Insurance Agency later. The amount of refund depends on the national regulations.

How to register

By providing some personal information, a foreign employee can register at a provincial health care facility for insured services. The registration can either be made at his/ her organisation or the appropriate division of the local People’s Committee. He/she will then be issued with a term insurance card, which is similar to a Vietnamese employee’s.