In many countries around the world, health technology assessment in general and pharmacoeconomic assessment in particular have been playing an important role in the process of priority setting and health policy making, especially in the development of health insurance benefit packages.
In Vietnam, in the context that resources for healthcare are becoming increasingly scarce, and the health insurance fund must cover more and more health services, the health technology assessment needs to be developed and applied in health policy making.
In particular, the National Strategy to protect, care for and improve people's health for the period 2011-2020, with a vision to 2030 has also clearly stated an important task of the health system, which is "Building standards and implementing health technology assessment to identify efficacy, effective, low-cost and quality health services”.
According to Mr. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Health Minister, over the past time, the Ministry of Health has carried out many contents in developing and promulgating criteria for evidence on health technology assessment in formulating a drug list of health insurance coverage; developing guidelines for health technology assessment; guidelines for preparation and evaluation of pharmacoeconomic analysis reports and developing a network of pharmacoeconomic assessment. That basis helps to connect the Ministry of Health, Vietnam Social Security, Departments of Health, medical facilities with health economic experts from institutes, schools, associations, research centers, pharmaceutical companies.
It is known that in the process of developing the drug list of health insurance coverage (issued together with Circular No. 30/2018/TT-BYT), the Ministry of Health has officially issued principles and criteria for developing the list for the first time. In particular, it is required to provide budget impact assessment reports and encouraged to provide evidence on cost-effectiveness of new proposed drugs added to the list.
Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan said that the use of health technology assessment in making health insurance policies was not only encouraging, but would become a compulsory requirement, especially for new proposed drugs and medical equipments added to the list. The Ministry of Health has been coordinating with relevant ministries to develop an updated Health Insurance Law, which also emphasizes that the development of health insurance benefit packages should be based on evidence of health technology assessment.
Appreciating the cooperation between Vietnam Social Insurance and the Ministry of Health in improving the quality of health technology assessment, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Insurance Pham Luong Son said that the health insurance policy has been implemented effectively over the past 28 years, with coverage now exceeding 90%. This is a very meaningful result in ensuring financial resources for people's health care, said Mr. Pham Luong Son.