9:08:49 AM | 7/28/2023
Vietnam Social Security (VSS) directed social security agencies to implement consistent solutions to insurance policyholder development and urged quicker collection and less late payment of social insurance and health insurance premiums to complete all tasks and plans set for 2023.
Processing the documents related to administrative procedures at a social security one-stop-shop department
Ensuring insurance coverage in all circumstances
According to the VSS’s report, Vietnam’s economy was affected by the global economic slowdown in the first six months of 2023. However, the social security sector still performed well in all aspects of work. The sector actively followed and promptly implemented the tasks and solutions stated in resolutions of the National Assembly and the Government to support businesses and people hit by the COVID-19 pandemic to assist socio-economic recovery and development. The sector saw progressive development of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance policyholders, with 17.48 million insured people, accounting for 37.48% of people at working age and rising 3.9% over the same period of 2022. The sector flexibly implemented many solutions to develop health insurance participants to 90.8 million (an increase of 4.35 million people from the same period of 2022). Social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance premiums were estimated at VND220,688 billion.
Regarding the settlement of social insurance and health insurance regimes and policies, the number of insured people increased. The settlement and payment of social insurance and unemployment insurance benefits were always fully and timely guaranteed to the insured, thus helping support and stabilize their lives, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. As a result, Vietnam’s social security sector settled 37,000 monthly pension and social insurance benefits; solved 4,386,236 health insurance claims from people undergoing sickness, maternity, convalescence and health rehabilitation. The VSS coordinated with Labor-Invalids and Social Affairs agencies to settle unemployment insurance claims for 499,824 people, of whom 368,028 people enjoyed unemployment benefits and 8,000 people enjoyed vocational training support.
The social security sector probed 9,013 units (9.6% fewer than a year-ago period). The amount of late payment before the probe was VND648.5 billion and the amount paid after the investigation was VND425.4 billion (equal to 65.6% of the same period of 2022, up 22% year on year). The VSS issued and advised to issue 448 decisions on sanctioning administrative violations (equal to 476% in the same period of 2022), collecting VND15 billion of fines (equal to 140.2% from a year earlier).
Many solutions to increase premium revenue and develop policyholders of social insurance and health insurance were launched by the whole sector. Provincial social security agencies organized about 11,200 consultative conferences and dialogues on social insurance and health insurance policies for 527,100 attendees, including 9,840 conferences on voluntary social insurance and household health insurance (87.9%). They maintained and strengthened small group communication models with 58,400 calls to 413,100 people.
The social security sector continued to step up administrative procedure reform, information technology application and digital transformation to its activities. It sped up the integrated deployment and provision of online public services on the National Public Service Portal and digitized records and papers on administrative procedure settlement results in social insurance.
Given the economic slowdown, the VSS directed social security agencies of provinces and cities to drastically implement consistent solutions to develop policyholders and pressed on collection and reduction of late payment of social insurance and health insurance premiums. Local social security agencies further advised local Party committees and authorities to include social insurance and health insurance coverage targets into resolutions of all-level People’s Councils; assign policyholder development targets to district and commune levels; actively advise leadership on plans and solutions to fulfill on social insurance and health insurance coverage targets.
Persistent with proposed policies
The sector’s main targets all increased from a year earlier, which was an important foundation for the sector to perform the full-year tasks. However, due to existing difficulties and challenges, the sector had to stick to the guidelines and directions of the Party, the National Assembly and the Government on social insurance and health insurance. The sector continued to closely coordinate with central agencies to formulate and perfect the Law on Social Insurance and the Law on Health Insurance. In the coming time, the sector will make reports on current situations and propose amendments to these laws to match practical requirements; review and figure out potential risks, and propose solutions to carry out its tasks.
VSS agencies of provinces and cities urgently and robustly consult and mobilize all sectors and levels to engage in social insurance and health insurance. They further manage collection agents, assign targets to each commune and ward, and ensure sustainable growth. VSS agencies need to accelerate task implementation and review outstanding plans and programs for timely actions. The focus will be placed on ensuring the interests of people and workers, particularly insured patients undergoing medical treatment. They will work to carry out support solutions to remove difficulties for medical facilities and coordinate with relevant bodies to advise on matters beyond their authority.
At the same time, VSS agencies of provinces and cities will direct their subordinates to launch solutions to develop insurance policyholders; coordinate with tax and police authorities to analyze participant data; urge collection and reduce the amount of late premium payment; timely and fully settle and pay social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance benefits; and intensify investigations to promptly handle violations.
Digital transformation and information technology applications need to be accelerated to perform tasks, analyze and evaluate performance indicators of the Ministry of Information and Communications. This will perfect IT applications of the sector, thus ensuring the highest benefits for the insured. Policyholders are encouraged to install the VssID application, a digital social insurance application, and more features, utilities and information will be added to make it more convenient and useful for workers to track their insurance policy history.
In addition, units that are still slow and late to pay insurance premiums will be firmly encouraged toward compliance; unscheduled and regular inspections will be conducted to reduce overdue debts; contents, forms and methods of communication on insurance will be further reformed; appropriate communication scenarios at central and local levels will be developed, with emphasis on social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance benefits for the insured.
Source: Vietnam Business Forum