Starting July 1, 2025, under new regulations, students will have at least 50% of their health insurance contributions covered by the state budget, with the province adding another 20%. Families now only need to pay 30% - about VND 379,080 for 12 months of coverage. Last school year, central funding covered 30% and the province 20%, leaving families to shoulder 50%, or VND 631,800 per student.

This has been welcome news at Hoàng Văn Nô Primary School in Điện Biên Phủ ward (Điện Biên province), where nearly all students are from ethnic minority families in hardship-prone villages such as Kê Nênh, Tà Lèng, and Nà Nghè. Because these students are not in the category eligible for free coverage, participation rates have been low. Last year, despite efforts to raise awareness, only 68.27% of the school’s students enrolled in health insurance.

Principal Nguyễn Đức Thành explained: “Many parents work far from home, leaving children with grandparents and little supervision. Some think their children rarely get sick, so insurance is unnecessary. Others simply can’t afford it, as premiums were too high compared to their household income. That’s why enrollment remained low.”

That belief proved costly last summer when one student without insurance fell ill and needed hospital care. With the child’s mother raising him alone and struggling financially, hospital bills quickly became overwhelming. The school contacted provincial social insurance authorities, who allowed the parent to pay late and activated coverage immediately to reduce costs. “I used to think it wasn’t necessary, especially with little money”, said parent Quàng Thị Mon. “But when my son got sick, I realized how important insurance is. From now on, I’ll try to keep him covered, no matter what.”

Motivated by cases like this, Hoàng Văn Nô Primary School is redoubling efforts to ensure every student has insurance. “We’re delighted with this year’s 70% subsidy”, Principal Thành said. “Lower premiums mean more families can join. Our goal is 100% coverage this school year”. The school has integrated insurance promotion into parent meetings and student activities, while teachers personally follow up with families hesitant to enroll.

Other schools face similar challenges. At Chà Nưa Semi-Boarding Primary School in Mường Chà commune, enrollment was just 30% last year. “At first, some parents said their children already had coverage elsewhere or through family plans”, recalled Principal Trần Đăng Khoa. “But when we checked, many hadn’t paid at all.”

Teacher Trần Đăng Khoa added: “In the 2025-2026 school year, students are receiving more support, so the amount parents pay is significantly lower than before. Right from the start of the year, social insurance officials came to work with us on awareness campaigns. The school also coordinated with village leaders to inform residents and encourage parents to join. The signs look positive, student coverage this year will likely be higher than last year.”

According to provincial statistics, in the 2024- 2025 school year, 197,990 out of 202,488 students - 97.78% - had health insurance. Of those, 175,251 were fully or partially subsidized, while 22,739 purchased coverage through schools. The 4,498 students without insurance (2.22%) were mostly from ethnic minority families in areas no longer classified as economically disadvantaged, but who still face real financial hardship.

The new 70% subsidy is both timely and humane. It eases the financial burden for thousands of families, especially in ethnic minority communities, while accelerating progress toward universal coverage. With government support and stronger outreach by schools and insurance agencies, more students across Điện Biên are expected to start the school year with the protection of a health insurance card, ensuring they receive comprehensive care when they need it most.