U.S. helps VN improve social health insurance implementation

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Viet Nam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock and Viet Nam Social Security (VSS) Deputy General Director Pham Luong Son sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Ha Noi, November 6, 2020.

The MOU signing reinforces USAID’s commitment to support Viet Nam’s efforts in its journey to self-reliance towards achieving strong, sustainable health systems as a means to support access to universal health coverage, said Mission Director Yastishock.

USAID’s assistance to VSS will focus on three key areas: (i) SHI policy implementation, (ii) management of SHI drugs and medical supplies, and (iii) exchange of information on health insurance policies, application of health technology and social health information systems.

Over the last five years, USAID has worked closely with Vietnamese Government agencies, including VSS, to include coverage of HIV treatment services and antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the SHI scheme.

This considerable effort included updating over 20 policies to allow expansion of SHI to cover HIV treatment and ARVs, and transitioning 440 stand-alone HIV clinics into the national public health system so they can get reimbursed for providing HIV services.

As a result, over 90% of persons living with HIV nationwide are now enrolled and use SHI-covered HIV services, and this year. SHI is set to procure ARVs for more than two-thirds of all HIV patients nationwide.

By Thuy Dung