The Ministry of Health might expand the list of rare diseases that can be treated in specialized hospitals without referrals.

The Health Insurance Department's director, Tran Thi Trang, shared this information in an interview with VietNamNet during the 2026 Vietnam Health Technology Assessment Conference.

Health insurance may now cover more cancer drugs.

The Ministry of Health plans to add 84 new medicines, including 30 cancer drugs, to the national health insurance list.

This update will include over 20 groups of medicines, including those for chronic diseases like cardiovascular conditions and diabetes.

Expert councils are evaluating these new medicines, with professional assessments expected to be completed in May.

Cancer treatment costs are a significant challenge for Vietnam's healthcare system.

Medicines account for the largest share of expenditures from the national health insurance fund, with spending rising to VND50.784 trillion in 2024.

Health insurance payments for cancer treatment exceeded VND7.5 trillion in 2023, accounting for 15.8% of total insurance-covered medical treatment costs.

Expensive cancer treatments are not covered by health insurance, forcing patients to pay out of pocket.

Rare and severe diseases may gain direct access to top-tier hospitals.

The Health Insurance Department has requested hospitals to assess the implementation of Circular 01, which concerns the list of rare and severe diseases eligible for direct admission to specialized hospitals.

Amendments to Circular 01 are expected to be issued later this year.

The Ministry of Health is considering adding more diseases to the rare and severe disease list, allowing patients to directly access top-tier hospitals.

Patients have benefited significantly from Circular 01, particularly those with cancer diseases classified under code C.

Rare and hematological diseases require highly specialized treatment, and patients are often referred to leading hospitals.

The expansion of insurance coverage is expected to reduce treatment costs for patients.