Expanding the coverage of SI and HI is a key task in achieving their development goals, as well as fulfilling VSS’s political mission. The aim is to move toward universal SI and HI coverage, as outlined in Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW dated May 23rd, 2018: "Expanding the coverage of SI, HI, and UI is not only the responsibility of the VSS system but also the duty of every citizen."

Over more than 30 years of establishment and development, VSS has implemented various measures to gradually move toward the goal of universal HI coverage. By 2024, the number of people participating in HI reached 95.523 million, accounting for 94.29% of the population, basically achieving the target set in Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW dated October 25th, 2017, by the Party Central Committee: “The HI coverage rate will reach 95% of the population by 2025.”

The HI coverage rate increased significantly from 13.01% in 2000 to 27.68% in 2005, and to 59.58% in 2010, more than doubling over the decade. The period from 2002 to 2005 marked the merger of the administrative systems implementing SI and HI policies, creating favorable conditions for more effective and professional policy implementation in line with international practices. This integration not only contributed to expanding HI coverage but also improved service quality, ensuring healthcare and social security rights, especially for vulnerable groups.

HI Coverage Rate and Participation: In 1995, only 7.1 million people participated in HI, accounting for 9.48% of the population. By 2002, this number increased to 13.03 million, or 16.5% of the population. After 20 years, in 2015, the figure reached 68.446 million, covering 73.88% of the population, and by 2024, it continued to rise to 95.523 million, accounting for 94.30% of the population.

In 2020, 16.188 million people participated in SI. This number increased to 18.418 million by 2023, and further to 20.159 million in 2024, accounting for 42.71% of the working-age labor force. The result showed the movement toward the target set by the Party Central Committee in Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW.

In addition, participation in voluntary social insurance has experienced remarkable growth. In 2019, the number of new enrollees equaled the total accumulated over the previous 11 years. By 2020, the number of voluntary SI participants reached 1.125 million nationwide, doubling to 2.311 million by 2024,  equivalent to 4.9% of the working-age labor force. This figure exceeds the 2025 target set by Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW by 2.3%. These trends reflect increasing public trust in the social security system under the leadership of the Party and the State.

Unit: people

Table 1: SI participation from 1995 to present

“SI Coverage Rate and Participation: In 1995, the number of participants in SI stood at 2.276 million. By 2020, this number rose to 16.188 million, an increase of more than sevenfold. As of 2024, the number reached 20.110 million, representing an 8.8-fold increase compared to 1995. This figure accounts for 19.85% of the national population and 37.94% of the working-age labor force eligible for SI participation."