Decision 844/QD-TTg: Action Plan for Universal Health Insurance Coverage in the New Phase
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Based on:844/QĐ-TTg - Government Official Gazette
This explanation was generated by AI and checked by an automated AI review, not by a human expert. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice and may contain errors. Check the official document before you rely on it.
On 13 May 2026, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 844/QD-TTg approving an Action Plan to implement Directive No. 52-CT/TW of the Secretariat on achieving universal health insurance (BHYT) coverage in the new phase. The plan targets health insurance coverage of over 95.5% of the population by 2026, and full universal coverage by 2030, assigning 29 specific tasks to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, provincial People's Committees, and other agencies. For businesses and payroll or accounting staff, the most relevant point is the plan's direction to gradually increase health insurance premium contribution rates from 2027, in step with an expanded scope of benefits. The Ministry of Health is tasked with drafting a Decree to formalize this rate increase, targeted for completion by March 2027. Because BHYT premiums are a mandatory contribution split between employees and employers, this future Decree will directly affect payroll and benefits costs once issued. The plan also pushes digital transformation of online premium collection and AI-assisted review of health insurance claims, which may eventually affect how businesses handle premium payments and health-cost reconciliation for their workforce. Importantly, this Decision itself does not set any new contribution rate or specific figure - it is a policy roadmap. Concrete rates, benefit levels, and procedures will be issued later through separate Decrees and Circulars under the 2026-2030 roadmap.
Document Information
- Reference number: 844/QD-TTg
- Type: Prime Minister's Decision
- Date issued: 13 May 2026
- Effective date: From the date of signing (13 May 2026)
- Signed by: Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra (on behalf of the Prime Minister)
- Legal basis: Directive No. 52-CT/TW dated 3 October 2025 of the Secretariat on universal health insurance coverage in the new phase; the 2008 Law on Health Insurance and its 2014 and 2024 amendments
Content of the Decision
The Prime Minister issues, together with this Decision, an Action Plan to implement Directive No. 52-CT/TW of the Secretariat on achieving universal health insurance (BHYT) coverage in the new phase. The Decision takes effect from its date of signing. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level and government agencies, and chairpersons of provincial People's Committees, along with other relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals, are responsible for implementation.
I. Objectives of the Action Plan
- Fully institutionalize and implement the tasks and solutions set out in Directive No. 52-CT/TW.
- Define specific tasks for ministries, sectors, and localities to build plans, implement, inspect, supervise, and evaluate the health insurance policy, aiming for universal BHYT coverage by 2030.
II. Six Groups of Specific Tasks
1. Strengthen leadership, direction, and communication on BHYT policy
- Incorporate BHYT coverage targets into local socio-economic development resolutions and plans.
- Provincial People's Committees to allocate local budget to further subsidize premiums for residents.
- Renew communication content and channels, focusing on household-based BHYT participants.
2. Improve BHYT policy and legislation
- Review and complete the legal framework for health insurance.
- Pilot diversified BHYT packages and supplementary health insurance based on demand; strengthen coordination between state BHYT and commercial health insurance to avoid duplicate payment of medical costs.
- Gradually increase BHYT premium contribution rates from 2027 in line with the roadmap for expanded benefits, while raising the subsidy level for policy beneficiaries, near-poor households, and people with disabilities.
- Review and draft an amended Law on Health Insurance.
3. Improve capacity and quality of BHYT medical examination and treatment
- Invest in facilities and equipment, especially at grassroots, remote, border, and island healthcare facilities.
- Implement patient referral between technical tiers to reduce overload at higher-level facilities.
- Accelerate accurate and full pricing of health services, including management-cost and asset-depreciation components.
4. Strengthen state management capacity and efficient use of the BHYT fund
- Coordinate between the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and provincial People's Committees on BHYT management and assessment.
- Ensure transparent, science-based control of medical examination and treatment costs; build criteria to flag unreasonably high costs.
- Strengthen inspection and strictly handle fraud, waste, and misconduct in the use of the BHYT fund.
5. Diversify funding sources and expand the scope of BHYT benefits
- Target BHYT coverage of over 95.5% of the population by 2026, progressing to universal coverage by 2030.
- From 2026, gradually expand payment coverage for preventive care, nutrition, chronic disease management, periodic health checks, and screening services.
- Build a mechanism for direct support and reduced co-payment costs for patients from poor, near-poor, and social policy households.
6. Digital transformation and AI application in BHYT management
- Connect and share data among the national BHYT, health, and population databases under Decree No. 278/2025/ND-CP.
- Implement BHYT administrative procedures fully on the online public service system; enable online premium collection.
- Apply artificial intelligence and big data to BHYT claims assessment and to control prescription and medical-service ordering patterns.
III. Implementation Organization
- Ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees must build and roll out their own implementation plans in Q2 2026, completing alignment of related programs by Q4 2026.
- Annual implementation results must be reported to the Ministry of Health before 31 December each year for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.
- The Ministry of Health leads monitoring and oversight of the entire Action Plan.
- The Ministry of Finance leads in ensuring funding, consistent with the annual state budget balance.
Appendix: Selected Tasks and Notable Deadlines
| Task | Lead Agency | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Decree on increasing BHYT premium rates from 2027 | Ministry of Health | March 2027 |
| Resolution piloting diversified BHYT packages and links with commercial health insurance | Ministry of Health | Q2 2028 |
| Amended Law on Health Insurance | Ministry of Health | Q1 2029 |
| Assignment of BHYT development targets for 2026-2030 | Ministry of Health | Q2 2026 |
| Resolution piloting DRG-based BHYT payment | Ministry of Health | Q3 2027 |
| Online BHYT premium collection | Ministry of Finance | Ongoing |
Note: This Decision does not itself set any new BHYT contribution rate. Specific Decrees, Resolutions, and Circulars implementing each task will be issued separately under the 2026-2030 roadmap above.