Joint Circular No. 11-YT/TC/TT guiding the implementation of Decision No. 252-CT dated November 13, 1981 of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers on amending the diet regime for patients treated at hospitals, health stations with beds, and rehabilitation centers.

CIRCULAR

JOINT MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FINANCE CIRCULAR NO. 11-YT/TC/TT
DATE: JULY 17, 1982 GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION
OF DECREE NO. 252-CT OF NOVEMBER 13, 1981 ISSUED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ON AMENDING THE DIET REGIME FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING TREATMENT AT HOSPITALS AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE STATIONS WITH BEDS AND NURSING INSTITUTIONS
AND NURSING HOMES

Pursuant to Decree No. 252-CT dated November 13, 1981 issued by the Chairman of the State Council of Ministers on amending the diet regime for patients undergoing treatment at hospitals and primary health care stations with beds and nursing institutions, the Ministry of Health and Finance hereby provide guidance for implementation as follows:

I. LEVELS OF FOOD EXPENSES AND PATIENT CONTRIBUTIONS

1. For cadres, workers, and civil servants currently employed, and cadres, workers, and civil servants and military personnel who have retired or left their jobs due to loss of working capacity.

Based on the patient's condition and health status, doctors will prescribe pathological diets combined with salary levels as follows:

For patients being treated in intensive care units or post-operative wards (major surgery), and other seriously ill patients requiring special care, the pathological diet will be prescribed regardless of salary level. The patient contributions for these cases will still be based on the salary levels specified in the table above.

Cadres at commune and ward levels receiving living allowances according to Decision No. 111-HĐBT dated October 13, 1981 of the State Council of Ministers shall apply the food expense and contribution levels as those with salaries below 90 dong, including:

- Secretaries of the Party Committee or Branch Secretary in communes and wards without a Party Committee.

- Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the People's Committees in communes and wards.

- Members of the Military Affairs Commission and Secretariat of the People's Committees in communes and wards.

- Mass organizations' cadres and staff members receiving monthly living allowances.

- Professional staff members of the Party Committee and People's Committee in communes and wards, and cadres responsible for villages, hamlets, and settlements receiving monthly living allowances.

- Medical and technical staff members trained at university, college, and vocational levels if they are employed in their respective fields in accordance with national regulations in communes and wards and receive monthly living allowances.

Commune and ward cadres who have retired after long service shall receive a monthly allowance equal to 60% of their living allowance when in service, as stipulated in Decision No. 130-CP dated June 20, 1975 of the State Council of Ministers.

Heroes of Labor, Heroes of the Armed Forces, and incumbent National Assembly deputies with salaries below 160 dong or not being civil servants shall apply the food expense and contribution levels as specified in point c of the table above.

War invalids and veterans who have returned to their home regions and are undergoing treatment at hospitals (including cases of old wounds or diseases recurring) shall apply the food expense and contribution levels as specified in point a of the table above.

2. For civilians and children.

a) Civilians and children treated at hospitals shall apply a daily food expense of 4 dong. If patients request additional food beyond this amount and pay for it themselves, hospitals should provide such food based on local capabilities, and patients shall pay the full cost of the food provided.

b) Patients in the following categories shall only pay 1 dong per day for food:

- Parents, spouses of martyrs who have reached retirement age.

- Children of martyrs who have not yet reached working age or have reached working age but are unemployed.

- Those who have made contributions to the revolution.

- Parents, spouses who are unable to work, and children who have not yet reached working age or are unemployed, starting from the third child that civil servants must support.

- Students at universities, colleges, vocational schools, and technical training institutes.

c) Those listed below, upon confirmation by the commune or ward authorities or the employer (for children of state civil servants), shall be exempted from paying for food and shall be covered by the state social insurance fund (recorded in item 6, section 6 of the state budget):

- Truly disabled persons with economic difficulties.

- Elderly and orphaned children without support.

- Children (first two children) who have not yet reached working age and are supported by civil servants.

- Patients with mental illness, tuberculosis, leprosy, and other chronic diseases who have been hospitalized for over one month, if their families are truly in difficult circumstances, shall be exempted from paying for food from the second month onwards.

d) Workers building new economic zones during the first three years, if they fall ill and need hospitalization, shall be exempted from paying for food according to Decision No. 95-CP dated March 27, 1980 and Decision No. 254-CP dated June 16, 1981 of the State Council of Ministers.

II. IMPLEMENTATION

1. While implementing the dietary regime for patients based on pathological conditions, for severely ill patients, hospitals should adjust meals appropriately to ensure the standard benefits. If the standard is not fully consumed due to illness severity or if the patient has just undergone surgery and cannot eat, hospitals shall not refund the standard in cash or kind to the patient.

2. To ensure the provision of food for patients hospitalized at healthcare facilities and nursing homes at the aforementioned levels, internal trade departments must guarantee adequate supply of goods meeting quality standards and quantities as specified for various types of illnesses and nursing beds, as detailed in Circular No. 20-TT/LB dated August 18, 1981 of the Joint Ministry of Health and Internal Trade, and Circular No. 142-NT/CS dated January 15, 1982 of the Ministry of Internal Trade.

Regarding staple foods, patients eating at hospital and nursing home cafeterias must submit food coupons. In cases where food coupons are unavailable, payment can be made in kind according to the rice-to-grain ratio set by the state, or in cash based on the state-specified retail price or market price in each locality.

3. In the event that a person from this locality falls ill and is hospitalized at a hospital located in another locality or a central hospital, the daily food allowance subsidy for the patient shall be covered by the budget of the receiving locality, without the need for reciprocal payments between the central budget and the local budget, or between the budgets of different localities.

III. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect from July 15, 1982, and all previous regulations contrary to this Circular are hereby abolished.

During implementation, if difficulties and obstacles arise, it is recommended that localities report them to the joint ministries for study and resolution.