Hanoi Health System: All You Need to Know
Are you looking for health insurance in Vietnam, more specifically in Hanoi? It is first necessary to find out about the local health system. This article is for people who want to live in Hanoi or who have already settled there. In addition, we explain how the health system works in Hanoi as well as the different possibilities of expatriate insurance in Hanoi.
How is the health system in Hanoi?
In recent years, Vietnam’s economic development has been accompanied by an improvement in health, and the public budget for health has increased overall. And more recently, a reform aimed at ensuring universal medical coverage for the entire population has also been implemented.
In addition, Vietnam Social Security (VSS) provides two types of health insurance in Hanoi:
Compulsory health insurance
Compulsory health insurance applies to all workers on contracts of indefinite duration or of more than three months. It is also intended for around twenty other categories of insured persons, with the aim of making it universal (poor people, children, students, etc.)
Voluntary health insurance
This applies to people who are not covered by the compulsory scheme (the self-employed and informal workers). Moreover, if you are an expatriate employed in Hanoi you must contribute to the compulsory health insurance, but this is not enough and many expatriates take out private medical insurance.
The quality of health in Hanoi
The quality of care in public hospitals in Hanoi is law to be up to Western standards. These hospitals are overloaded. And according to the French Embassy in Hanoi, it is not uncommon to see bed occupancy rates of 200% especially in central hospitals. The quality and availability of medical services varies considerably between urban and rural areas.
Similarly, public hospitals in rural provinces are the most underfunded and underequipped. Because of these structural problems in public health, it is recommended to turn to private health establishments. In addition, these establishments also offer services more in line with the expectations of the expatriate population.
For example, they have international medical teams speaking English and French. However, getting treatment in private establishments is very expensive. Thus, for these various reasons, expatriates in Hanoi are advised to have international health insurance allowing them to be treated in private establishments in Hanoi or abroad.
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What is the best expat insurance in Hanoi?
The best health insurance in Hanoi depends on your specific needs rather than general criteria. Thus, the best health insurance in Hanoi for another expat will not necessarily be the best for you.
So, to find the insurance that suits you best, it is important to take into account several parameters. Such as your medical history, the number of people you insure, your location in Hanoi, and other criteria.
The easiest way is to compare all the offers one by one. But the loss of time will be considerable.
Our team of experts can help you through this process and help you find the perfect insurance for your needs. Contact us!
