Ministry of Health Proposes New Model for Public Hospital Service Prices

Vietnam's Ministry of Health has proposed changing the pricing method for medical examination and treatment services in public hospitals, suggesting a shift to a common pricing system based on specialization levels rather than applying separate price plans per facility.

Plan for Transition to Common Pricing Application

The requirement for each hospital to create its own pricing plan is being removed.

It is envisaged to determine a common price level applicable to relevant facilities for each technical specialization level, namely advanced, basic, and introductory.

Legal Regulations and Distribution of Authority

Regulations are being made within the framework of the relevant articles of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment.

It is clarified that state health facilities can only determine the prices of services provided upon request.

Pricing of Non-Requested Services

It aims to eliminate the perception that the prices of non-requested services for individuals without a health insurance card are determined arbitrarily.

The prices of non-requested services will continue to be determined by the Minister of Health or the Provincial People's Council within their powers.

Workload Created by Current Processes

The current mechanism requires health facilities to prepare a pricing plan and submit it to relevant agencies for review and evaluation.

Large facilities performing thousands of technical procedures, as well as smaller clinics and military health stations, face a significant workload due to this process.

Reduction of Administrative Burden and Costs

Thanks to the new system, health facilities will not be required to prepare price plans for approval when they are newly established or change their operational areas.

According to ministry estimates, this option could reduce paperwork and printing costs by approximately 4.5 billion VND per year.