JOINT CIRCULAR No. 25/2014/TTLT-BYT-BTC ON THE MANAGEMENT AND USE OF STATE BUDGET FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF OPIATE ADDICTION WITH SUBSTITUTION MEDICATION

JOINT CIRCULAR

Regulations on managing and using state budget sources to support examination and treatment of opium addiction with substitute drugs

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Pursuant to Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 6, 2003 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the State Budget Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 96/2012/NĐ-CP dated November 15, 2012 of the Government on treatment for drug addiction with substitute drugs;

This Circular prescribes procedures for receiving, providing health care for domestic violence victims and statistical reports on domestic violence victims at medical facilities.

Pursuant to Decree No. 215/2013/NĐ-CP dated December 23, 2013, promulgated by the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Finance;

The Minister of Health and the Minister of Finance shall issue a joint Circular to regulate the management and use of state budget sources to support examination and treatment of opium addiction with substitute drugs

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

1. This Circular guides the management and use of state budget sources to support examination and treatment of opium addiction with substitute drugs (hereinafter referred to as treatment of addiction) as prescribed in Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 23 of Decree No. 96/2012/ND-CP dated November 15, 2012 of the Government on treatment of opium addiction with substitute drugs (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 96/2012/ND-CP).

2. In cases where units use non-repayable aid funds or funding from organizations and individuals both within and outside the country, they shall implement according to specific guidelines provided by the funder or according to regulations of the supervising authority after reaching agreement with the representative of the funder and the Ministry of Finance (if applicable); if the funder or the representative of the funder and the Ministry of Finance do not have specific provisions, then this Circular shall be applied.

Article 2. Content of Support for Persons Undergoing Treatment of Opium Addiction with Substitute Drugs

1. Health check-ups (disease diagnosis, health examination, and necessary medical tests) before and during the treatment period according to the treatment process specified by the Minister of Health and the service fee for disease diagnosis, treatment, and addiction treatment determined by the competent authority for public health facilities.

2. Medication for addiction treatment as prescribed by doctors, in accordance with professional guidance issued by the Minister of Health.

Article 3. Recipients and Level of Support

1. Support Objectives

a) Persons participating in addiction treatment at compulsory educational institutions, juvenile rehabilitation centers, prisons, and detention centers.

b) Persons participating in addiction treatment at public addiction treatment facilities (hereinafter referred to as treatment facilities) who fall under one of the categories specified in Clause 2, Article 23 of Decree No. 96/2012/ND-CP.

2. Level of Support

a) State budget support:

- 100% of costs for health examinations and addiction treatment medications as stipulated in Article 2 of this Circular for recipients under Point a, Clause 1 of this Article;

- At least 95% of costs for health examinations and addiction treatment medications as stipulated in Article 2 of this Circular for recipients under Point b, Clause 1 of this Article. The specific level of support shall be decided by the Minister, Head of a government agency at the ministerial level, or the Chairman of the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-run cities based on the financial capacity as specified in Article 4 of this Circular.

b) The state budget will not continue to provide support to the recipients specified in Clause 1 of this Article in the following circumstances:

- If the patient does not comply with the professional regulations of the treatment facility;

- If their treatment is terminated according to Clause 2, Article 21 of Decree No. 96/2012/ND-CP;

- If they receive support from other funding sources for the same expenditure item.

Article 4. Source of Funding

1. Funding allocated in the annual state budget expenditure plan of central agencies and localities according to current state budget allocation levels, including:

a) Allocated in the social welfare program expenditure plan for treatment facilities managed by labor, war invalids, and social affairs agencies;

b) Allocated in the defense and security program expenditure plan for treatment facilities managed by police and defense agencies;

c) Allocated in the health program expenditure plan for treatment facilities managed by the health sector and other sectors (excluding the cases mentioned in Points a and b of this Clause).

2. Funding for the National Target Program on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control for the 2012-2015 period

3. Non-repayable aid funds or funding from organizations and individuals both within and outside the country.

4. Other legitimate sources of funding.

Article 5. Budget Preparation, Allocation, Execution, and Settlement

1. Establishment, Allocation, and Assignment of Budget Estimates:

a) Annually, at the time specified for establishing the state budget, based on the content and level of support stipulated in this Circular and the estimated number of people registering for addiction treatment (including those transferred from other treatment facilities), treatment facilities shall prepare budget estimates for health examinations and treatment and submit them to the supervising authority for:

- Incorporating into the budget estimate for the National Target Program on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control for the 2012-2015 period as specified in Joint Circular No. 163/2012/TTLT-BTC-BYT dated October 8, 2012 of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health on the management and use of funds for the National Target Program on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control for the 2012-2015 period;

- Incorporating into the budget estimate of central agencies and localities submitted to the finance authorities at the same level for consolidation and submission to the competent authority for decision-making.

b) Based on the assigned budget estimates, central agencies and localities shall allocate and assign budget estimates to subordinate treatment facilities in accordance with the Law on State Budget and guiding documents.

2. Settlement of Accounts:

Annually, at the time specified for submitting final accounts of the state budget, treatment facilities shall be responsible for preparing and submitting final accounts to the supervising authority; the supervising authority shall be responsible for reviewing and consolidating these into the final accounts of their own agency to settle accounts with the finance authority at the same level according to current regulations.

Article 6. Reference Provisions

In cases where the referenced documents in this document are replaced or amended, implementation shall be in accordance with the replacement or amended document.

Article 7. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from September 1, 2014.

During implementation, if there are any difficulties, please promptly report to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance for research and resolution./.