“Refund Scenarios for Health Insurance Contributions Starting 2025”

According to the Vietnam Social Insurance (SI) regulations, there are four cases in which health insurance (HI) participants are eligible for a refund of their contributions, as stipulated in Clause 20 of the Consolidated Text 2525/VBHN-SI. Specifically:

Case 1: An HI participant is issued a new group card, resulting in the need to reduce the value of the previously issued card. For example, an individual with family HI coverage starts working for a company that provides HI coverage.

In this case, the family HI card will be reduced in value as the new card takes precedence. The individual will be refunded the amount corresponding to the unused period.

Case 2: When the state adjusts and increases the level of HI contribution support, those who belong to the group eligible for higher support will be refunded the difference compared to their previous contributions. This applies if the new policy takes effect, and the support level is higher than what individuals have already paid for themselves.

Case 3: An HI card purchaser passes away before the card takes effect. In this case, the deceased’s next of kin will be refunded the full amount paid for the unused HI card.

Case 4: An HI participant has overlapping HI coverage. The overlapping contribution will be refunded as stipulated in Decision No. 595/QD-SI of 2017.

Regarding the calculation of the refundable amount, Vietnam SI stated that it would be based on the HI contribution rate and the unused card period. This period is calculated from:

The time the new group HI card becomes valid;

The effective date of the decision of the competent authority to increase HI contribution support;

The time the HI card takes effect for those who passed away before the card’s validity.

The procedure for refunding HI contributions includes the following steps:

Step 1: The participant or their next of kin completes Form TK1-TS and submits it to the SI agency.

Step 2: The SI agency receives and processes the application.

Step 3: The participant receives the result of the resolution.

Individuals can submit their applications through various means: electronic transactions, postal services, direct submissions at the receiving department of the SI agency in the place of management or residence, or at administrative service centers at any level.