Does health insurance of Vietnam cover children's myopia treatment?
Does Vietnamese health insurance cover children's myopia treatment? What are procedures for health insurance-covered medical care in Vietnam?
Hello Lawnet. My child is 5 years old. He suffers from myopia. Does Vietnamese health insurance cover for his myopia treatment?
<subquestion>Does Vietnamese health insurance cover children's nearsightedness treatment?</subquestion>
Pursuant to Article 23 of the Law on Health Insurance in 2008 (amended by Clause 16, Article 1 of the Law on Health Insurance in 2014) stipulating cases not eligible for health insurance benefits in Vietnam as follows:
1. Cases specified in Clause 1 of Article 21 in which costs have been paid by the state budget.
2. Convalescence at sanatoria or convalescence establishments.
3. Medical check-up.
4. Prenatal tests and diagnosis for non-treatment purposes.
5. Use of obstetric supportive techniques, family planning services or abortion services, except for cases of discontinuation of pregnancy due to fetal or maternal diseases.
6. Use of aesthetic services.
7. Treatment of squint, myopia and eye refraction defect except for the children under age 6.
8. Use of prostheses including artificial limbs, eyes, teeth, glasses, hearing aids or movement aids in medical examination, treatment and function rehabilitation.
9. Medical examination, treatment and functional rehabilitation in case of disasters.
11. Medical examination and treatment for addiction to drugs, alcohol or other habit-forming substances.
13. Medical assessment, forensic examination, forensic mental examination.
14. Participation in clinical trials or scientific research.
As regulations above, your child's myopia treatment shall be covered by Vietnamese treatment as he is under 6 years old.
<subquestion>What are procedures for health insurance-covered medical care in Vietnam?</subquestion>
Pursuant to Article 28 of the same Law stipulating procedures for health insurance-covered medical care in Vietnam as follows:
1. An insured seeking medical care service shall present his/her health insurance card attached with his/her photo; a card without photo must be produced together with a written proof of persona identity of the card holder; for children under 6 years, only health insurance cards need to be produced.
2. In case of emergency, an insured may seek medical care services at any medical establishment and shall produce his/her health insurance card together with papers defined in Clause 1 of this Article before he/she is discharged from hospital.
3. In case of treatment-line transferal, an insured shall obtain a transferal dossier from the concerned medical establishment.
4. In case of re-examination to meet treatment requirements, an insured shall obtain a note of appointment from the concerned medical establishment.
