Under the roadmap, starting in 2026, all citizens will be entitled to free annual health check-ups or screenings, and each person will be issued a digital health record to track medical conditions across their life cycle. By 2030, citizens will be exempted from basic medical examination and treatment costs within the scope of health insurance benefits.

Resolution 72 of the Politburo is considered strategic, comprehensive, and long-term, demonstrating the Party and State’s deep concern for people’s health and aiming to build a healthier, fairer, and more prosperous Vietnam. It calls for robust healthcare financing reform and sustainable development of health insurance as the foundation for universal fee exemption. Funding will come mainly from the state budget, supplemented by the Health Insurance Fund and social resources.

“Exempting basic hospital fees nationwide through health insurance by 2030 is a profoundly humanitarian policy, with great social security significance. It helps detect diseases early, reduces medical costs, and affirms the principle that people are at the centre of all healthcare policies,” said Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan on September 16.

The Minister said, the state and the Health Insurance Fund will cover essential medical expenses to minimise financial burdens, giving priority to social policy beneficiaries, vulnerable groups, low-income households, and other disadvantaged populations. For services beyond the basic package, patients will still co-pay part of the cost to encourage rational use and cost efficiency.

“This policy must go hand in hand with universal health insurance coverage, ensuring risk-sharing where the healthy support the sick, and the better-off support the poor. The ultimate goal is that all citizens, regardless of region or income, can access essential healthcare services without financial worries.”

“The Resolution does not aim for absolute free care but rather to reduce out-of-pocket costs to the minimum, strengthen health insurance coverage, lower mortality from late disease detection, and build an equitable, efficient, and sustainable health system where no one is left behind,” stressed the Minister.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, the Government has calculated and secured the financial resources needed to implement the universal hospital fee exemption policy starting from 2026.

Citing figures from the Ministry of Health for 2024, he noted that the Health Insurance Fund covered around VND140 trillion, while patients paid out-of-pocket expenses totaling approximately VND21.545 trillion.

If the policy is applied from 2026, the maximum additional burden on the state budget would be about VND 21.545 trillion per year. Currently, the Health Insurance Fund has a surplus of VND49–50 trillion, which is sufficient to cover the first two years.

In the longer term, Vietnam will need to gradually increase health insurance contributions to ensure sustainable balance, he explained.

He emphasized that this is a humane and practical solution to ease the financial burden on citizens, reaffirming the Government’s strong commitment to prioritizing public health, safeguarding social security, and building an equitable, efficient, and sustainable healthcare system.

Vietnam to offer free annual health check-up to all citizens, starting 2026

VOV.VN - All Vietnamese citizens will be entitled to a free annual health check-up or screening from 2026, while basic hospital fees covered by health insurance will also be waived by 2030.