The Ho Chi Minh City People's Council approved this policy during its session on 22/9. It is expected to support nearly 700 kidney patients annually, with a total estimated cost of 10,5 billion VND each year.
The groups eligible for this policy include children aged 6 to under 16; individuals from households recently lifted out of poverty, within 36 months of official recognition; and individuals aged 60 and above facing difficult circumstances, such as living alone, being isolated, single, or residing with low-income relatives.
According to the resolution, patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease who are undergoing hemodialysis or cyclical peritoneal dialysis, and who fall into one of the three aforementioned groups, will have their entire co-payment portion after health insurance covered by the city budget. Currently, health insurance participants receive payments from the insurance fund through a co-payment mechanism. This means that depending on their 20% or 80% health insurance benefit level, the insurance fund covers the corresponding medical examination and treatment costs, with the patient paying the remaining portion – known as the co-payment mechanism.
Consequently, with this new policy, children and disadvantaged patients will not incur any additional costs for hemodialysis.
This marks the first time a policy providing 100% financial support for hemodialysis patients has been implemented in Ho Chi Minh City specifically, and in Vietnam generally.
 |
A nurse assists a patient with dialysis at Thong Nhat Hospital. *Photo: Phung Tien*
Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, stated that when identifying eligible cases for support, the health sector will coordinate with the city's Social Security to verify the patient's condition. The health sector is committed to ensuring that the process of determining the disease stage for support does not create additional procedures or inconvenience for residents. The city is also focusing on remote areas to ensure that all residents receive support.
Stage 5 chronic kidney disease requires regular, continuous, and long-term treatment to sustain life. For individuals facing difficult circumstances, these accumulated costs can become a significant burden on families over time. City leaders believe that providing full co-payment support will help reduce financial pressure, limit the risk of treatment interruption, and simultaneously improve treatment adherence and healthcare effectiveness.
According to city leaders, the decision to prioritize support for the stage 5 chronic kidney disease group stems from urgent treatment needs, the nature of the disease requiring prolonged treatment, and the ability to identify and manage beneficiaries. In the context of a limited budget, the policy is designed to focus on the groups most in need of assistance.
Le Tuyet
