Field guide · 2026
Medical receipts for insurance claims in Vietnam, explained
Medical receipts for insurance claims in Vietnam usually mean more than one paper. Insurers commonly ask for an invoice, a medical report, a list of charges and a prescription. The easiest time to collect all of them is before you leave the hospital.
This guide shows what one insurer has published, explains the e-invoice rule in plain words, and gives you a short list of things to ask for at the desk. Your own policy always decides. Treat this as a starting point, not a replacement for your policy wording.
What insurers usually ask for
MSIG Insurance Vietnam publishes its claim list in English. It groups the papers in three parts.
The first part is the claim form, which must follow MSIG's own template. The second part is medical papers: a prescription, a medical record or report, a discharge paper, test orders and results, and a surgery certificate where one applies. The third part is payment papers: a valid financial invoice and a detailed expense statement.
MSIG also says the list is not complete. It says each policy sets the details, and that it may ask for other papers. So the list is a floor, not a ceiling.
Notice the pattern. One group of papers shows why you were treated, and another shows what you paid. A receipt alone rarely tells the whole story, and a medical report alone does not prove payment. Ask for both groups at the same visit.
What an e-invoice is, and why it matters
Vietnam is moving all businesses to electronic invoices. Decree 123/2020/ND-CP, dated 19 October 2020, takes effect on 1 July 2022. The older rules on invoices, including the 2018 decree on e-invoices, stay in force until 30 June 2022.
For you, the point is simple. From that date, a private hospital or clinic is expected to issue an electronic invoice and not a hand-written one. Since an insurer asks for a valid financial invoice, the e-invoice is the paper you should expect to hand over.
One detail is easy to miss. The decree has a special rule for health facilities. If a hospital uses software to manage visits and fees, and it prints a receipt for each fee, it may combine those receipts into one e-invoice at the end of the day. This applies only if the patient does not ask for an invoice. If the patient asks, the facility must create an e-invoice and give it to that patient.
So say that you need an invoice. If you stay silent, you may leave with only a printed receipt, and your visit may be covered only by that end-of-day summary.
When the invoice is issued
Under Article 9 of the decree, the invoice for a service is dated when the service is finished, whether or not you have paid yet. If the provider collects the fee before or during the service, the invoice date is the date it collected the fee. In both cases, you do not need to wait for a later date. Ask for the invoice when you pay.
Check the details on the invoice before you walk away. Your name should be spelled as it appears on your policy, and the amount should match what you paid. A small mistake can cause a question later. A quick fix at the desk is easier than a long exchange with an insurer.
What to ask for before you leave
Use this short list at the cashier or the records desk.
- The invoice or e-invoice, with your name spelled as it appears on your policy.
- An itemised bill that lists each test, medicine and procedure with its price.
- A medical report that shows the diagnosis and the dates of your visit.
- Your prescription, signed by the doctor.
- Discharge papers, if you were admitted.
- Test orders and results for any scan, X-ray or lab test.
- Proof that you paid, such as a card slip or bank transfer record, if the invoice does not show it.
Take photos of everything before you hand anything over. Some insurers ask for originals, so keep a copy for yourself.
Some forms must be filled out by the doctor. Ask at the desk whether the hospital will complete your insurer's form, and how long that takes. It can take longer than the visit itself.
How to send the papers, and how long it takes
MSIG says claim papers can be sent in person, by courier, by email or through the Insmart Zalo MiniApp. Check how your own insurer wants the papers before you send them, since methods differ.
Speed also varies. MSIG says it will make payment within a maximum of 15 days from receipt of a complete and valid claim file. The clock starts only when the file is complete. A missing discharge paper or an unclear invoice can restart the waiting. It also says this period may differ by contract.
Deadlines for filing differ by insurer and by type of care, so do not guess. Read the claim section of your own policy and write the date down on the day of your visit. Keep the hospital's phone number and your claim number together, so you can follow up fast.
Sources
- MSIG Insurance Vietnam, Claim Guidelines, Claim Reimbursement, July 2025 edition, msig.com.vn.
- Government of Vietnam, Decree No. 123/2020/ND-CP on invoices and documents, 19 October 2020.