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| Pharmacy of Long An General Hospital__Photo: VNA |
Insured patients who have prescriptions from doctors but are not dispended and have to buy prescribed drugs and medical supplies would be entitled to claim for reimbursement from the health insurance fund.
Such is proposed by the Ministry of Health in a draft circular on direct payment of costs of drugs and medical supplies in health insurance-covered medical care.
Accordingly, these insured patients would be entitled to receive reimbursement if (i) the drugs and medical supplies prescribed for them fall into the coverage of health insurance; (ii) such drugs and medical supplies are not available at the medical establishments where they receive treatment at the time they need to use such drugs and medical supplies; and (iii) they or their relatives or lawful representatives can produce the prescriptions and lawful and valid goods purchase invoices to social security agencies.
The Vietnam Social Security would issue an insurance appraisal process applicable to those receiving reimbursement of expenses for purchase of drugs and medical supplies from the health insurance fund under the above policy.
As required by the draft, healthcare facilities would have to ensure adequate and timely provision of drugs for patients. In case a hospital does not have sufficient drugs and medical supplies for treatment, it must transfer patients to another one. If impossible to transfer patients to another hospital due to objective reasons, the hospital would have to guide patients to buy drugs and medical supplies from qualified suppliers and notify thereof to social security agencies.- (VLLF)
