Healthcare in Vietnam for American Retirees
Healthcare in Vietnam
How healthcare works in Vietnam for a foreign resident: what the public system will and will not do for you, what private cover costs, and where the system is weak.
Vietnamese healthcare is improving quickly but is not yet at the level of Thailand or Malaysia. International-standard private hospitals exist in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, notably FV Hospital and Vinmec, and are inexpensive. For anything complex, foreign residents commonly fly to Bangkok or Singapore.
Access to the public system
Foreign residents are generally not in the public system. Public hospitals are very cheap and very crowded.
What private care costs
A private specialist consultation typically costs 30 to 70 dollars at an international hospital. Private insurance for a couple in their sixties runs 250 to 600 dollars a month.
What the visa requires
Insurance is essential and should include evacuation cover to Bangkok or Singapore, which is a realistic and frequently used benefit here rather than a theoretical one.
Where it is strong
Cost, and the good international hospitals in the three main cities. Dental care is excellent value.
Where it is weak
Depth of specialist care. Rural and small-city facilities are basic. Air quality in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is poor and in Hanoi in winter it is genuinely hazardous.
Medicare
Medicare does not cover you in Vietnam.
Healthcare in Vietnam: common questions
Will Medicare cover me in Vietnam?
No. Original Medicare does not pay for care outside the United States except in a few narrow situations. Most retirees keep premium-free Part A, make a deliberate decision on Part B based on how often they will return to the U.S. for care, and buy local or international cover.
Can I use the public system in Vietnam?
Foreign residents are generally not in the public system. Public hospitals are very cheap and very crowded.
What will insurance cost?
A private specialist consultation typically costs 30 to 70 dollars at an international hospital. Private insurance for a couple in their sixties runs 250 to 600 dollars a month. Insurance is essential and should include evacuation cover to Bangkok or Singapore, which is a realistic and frequently used benefit here rather than a theoretical one.
Verified Sep 7, 2026 Primary sources: xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, evisa.gov.vn, vietnamembassy-usa.org
This resource is provided free by Federal Apostille as an educational tool. It is not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Immigration rules, income thresholds, fees and processing times change frequently and often without notice, and consulates apply them differently. Always confirm current requirements with the official government source and the specific consulate that has jurisdiction over your U.S. state of residence before you act. Every figure on this site carries the date we last verified it and a link to the primary source.
