Vietnam Health Insurance Advice
Global Health Insurance is a market leading medical and healthcare brokerage. We offer Vietnam insurance health advice to the expatriate community and pride ourselves on searching and selecting the right plan for you. As the Vietnam insurance health plan market continues to grow there is an even greater need for good quality advice and recommendations. Our international medical consultants constantly search the market for new policies that may better serve the needs and requirements of our Vietnam insurance health plan clients.
- Individual Plans
Vietnam insurance health plans designed for individuals. These plans are flexible, annually renewable and can be tailored to meet your specific medical requirements.
- Family Plans
Family is the most important thing in many of our lives. Our medical consultants can recommend international health insurance cover to provide protection for all the family.
- Group Plans
Medical insurance is vital for today’s business. Executives often travel extensively in the course of their job and we can advise you on what levels of cover are needed and can often obtain group discounts on your behalf.
- Travel Plans
Vietnam insurance health plans designed for people visiting or working in Hong Kong. Policies can be tailored for either for the short or medium term, but the trip cannot exceed 12 months.
Global Health Insurance aims to provide you with the complete insurance solution; everything from choosing the right medical plan to reimbursement of claims to choosing your hospital. This is all done in an efficient, customer focused manner ensuring your Vietnam insurance health plan gives the right cover for you.
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, commonly referred to as Vietnam or Viet Nam, is the 13th most populated country in the world. It is located in South East Asia and shares its borders with China, Laos and Cambodia. The population of Vietnam is approximately 86 million and the capital city is Hanoi. The main language in Vietnam is Vietnamese.
Vietnam gained independence from China in 938 AD, it was then colonised by France in the mid 19th century until France was expelled from Vietnam and the country gained independence in 1945. Vietnam has experienced a lot of war in its past including the Vietnam War which lead to humanitarian and economic problems for the country.
Vietnam has 58 provinces and 5 centrally controlled municipalities. The country consists of many hills, mountains and dense forests. Vietnam has a total land area of approximately 331,688 square kilometres. The Vietnamese winter season (from November to April) has monsoon winds and is dry in comparison with the summer and rainy seasons. May to October is the summer season, bringing hot humid weather. April, May and October are the best months to visit the country based on the weather and number of tourists. Many tourists visit Vietnam in July and August and from November through to March which are the tourism high seasons.
Vietnam attracts approximately 3.8 million tourists per year. Popular tourist attractions include Saigon, Hanoi, the world heritage sights of Hoi Ann and the Cham temples of My Son, the extensive coastline including beautiful Halong Bay, the rice fields, clothing tailors in Hoi An and the many mountains.
The country’s economy previously relied on the cultivation of wet rice, however much of the economy was destroyed during the Vietnam War. Today manufacturing, information technology, high tech industries, cashew nuts, black pepper and rice production form the back bones of the economy. Vietnam has one of Asia’s most open economies and is also now also producing oil. The number of citizens in deep poverty has been reducing from year to year as the economy rapidly grows.
Vietnam Health Care and Insurance
The standard of healthcare available in Vietnam is good in the major cities but falls below that offered in Western countries in more rural areas. The Government has established a public health system. Previously the Government only contributed 20 percent of care expenses which in 2001 equated to only 0.9 percent of the country’s GDP. This caused a shortage of trained nurses, midwives and hospital beds. Vietnam has the lowest number of hospital beds available per head of population in Asia. Malnutrition is also still occurring in the provinces of Vietnam.
Vietnam is currently undertaking a health finance reform with a view to having all citizens covered by Vietnam health insurance in the future. Approximately 50 million Vietnamese have some form of health insurance coverage. In 2003 the Vietnamese Social System (VSS) took over the health insurance system from the Ministry of Health and in 2005 established the Department of Health Insurance (DHI).
The VSS and DHI aim to have universal health insurance coverage for all citizens by 2014. Officials are currently studying Thailand’s health care system with a view to modelling Vietnam’s system on Thailand’s. The two agencies have been pushing for efficient delivery of healthcare services. However, the country has faced many challenges including the high cost of medical care. Travellers should ensure they have medical insurance for Vietnam to cover the high cost of treatment.
Citizens with health insurance are treated in State medical facilities which the health insurers have contracts with. Vietnam has 3 types of people covered by health insurance i) obligatory health insurance for paid employees, ii) voluntary health insurance and iii) humanitarian which is reserved for those who are less fortunate including orphans, street children, elderly, beneficiaries, students, children under 6 years old, the poor and disabled.
Vietnam has been receiving increased foreign investment and has decreased Government regulation which has paved the way for private medical facilities. However, due to the lack of Government control prices are unregulated. The cost of treatment at the best medical facilities has risen significantly making them unaffordable for Vietnamese citizens. Private medical facilities can be found in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Recommended clinics include OSCAT/AEA International Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City (telephone: 848 829 8520), AEI International Services in Hanoi for emergency medical evacuation (telephone: 821 3555), Haoni French Hospital (telephone: 577 1100) and Vietnam International Hospital in Phuong Mai (telephone: 574 0740).
Travellers to Vietnam are advised to take out medical insurance to ensure that the high cost of medical treatment will be taken care of if they require treatment. Many medical facilities will not admit foreigners for treatment unless they have proof that they are able to pay for the cost of the treatment. Vietnam has a lot of forest areas so hikers that injure themselves in the wilderness may be required to be evacuated from isolated areas to an appropriate medical facility. Medical evacuation can be a costly expensive so travellers should ensure that they are covered by their health insurance.
Vietnam Travel Insurance Concerns
Vietnam’s efforts to reduce the rates of malaria within the country have paid off. However, the numbers of cases of tuberculosis have increased in recent years. The country is endeavouring to reduce the number of TB cases by increasing vaccinations and improving hygiene. The country also has a high rate of HIV and is receiving international funding as part of an international aids plan.
The World Health Organisation recommends that travellers to Vietnam be vaccinated against diphtheria and tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles mumps and rubella (MMR), polio, typhoid and varicella (if a traveller has not previously had chicken pox). Long term travellers to Vietnam should also be vaccinated against Japanese B Encephalitis, meningitis (if the traveller is under 25 years of age) and rabies. Travellers to Vietnam should bring double their required prescription medication in case of loss or theft as many newer medications are not available in Vietnam.
Travellers to rural areas (except the Red River Delta and the coast north of Nha Trang) of Vietnam are also at risk of contracting malaria and should take anti malarial medication. Rare cases of malaria have been reported in Mekong Delta. Travellers should take precautions to ensure that they are not bitten by insects while travelling in Vietnam. Travellers should take out medical insurance for Vietnam in case they fall ill while visiting.
The streets of Vietnam are home to many beggars and street children asking for money and food. It is not advisable to give them money as it only encourages them. Travellers wanting to help can donate to organisations which have been set up to direct the money to where it’s most needed. If you want to help there and then, take the child to a stall and purchase them a nutritious meal.
The noise levels in Vietnam can be overwhelming for some travellers, ensure you take air plugs as noise levels are loud until approximately 10 or 11pm with many people rising early at 5am. The main culprits of the noise pollution are motor bikes, karaoke, cafes, restaurants and the local radio station turned up at a high volume. Travellers should avoid touching shells, rockets and other souvenirs from the Vietnam War as they may still be active.
Scammers in Vietnam are constantly coming up with new ways to extract money from naive tourists. Some scams to be aware of are renting a motor bike with a lock that the renter insists you use only to find that the bike is stolen when you return to it and you have to pay to replace it (as the renter has given the locks key to the thief). Parking a rented motor bike in an area with a guard and discovering that it won’t start when you return; the guard will recommend a mechanic who will replace the parts they stole while you were away and charge you for them. The most common scam is where a hotel is full so the taxi driver takes the tourist to a hotel that they recommend, be aware that there are often many hotels in the same area with the same name.
Theft in Vietnam is also a cause of concern for travellers who need to be vigilant. Drive by thieves will steal cameras and handbags as they pass by. Street children are notorious pit pockets and handbags often are stolen if they are put down while a tourist is eating. Travellers should ensure that their personal items are secure and in their sight at all times. Men should be wary of girls who will steal wallets and mobile phones as they hug the traveller offering him a “good time”. Travellers should be wary of others offering them free beverages on long distance buses as they may be laced with a drug so that the thief can steal the traveller’s belongings while they sleep.
Vietnam Expat Health Insurance
Travellers to Vietnam should ensure that they take out comprehensive medical insurance which will cover the cost of medical care if required. Global Health Insurance can assist you with selecting an insurance that meets you requirements and allows you and your family to access the best medical facilities. Please contact us today for a free quotation.
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