At the beginning of 2021, the province’s Social Security agency advised People's Committee to issue documents directing departments, divisions and localities to implement digital transformation for participants of Social Insurance and Health Insurance. To develop detailed plans, assign tasks to each specialized department and affiliated units, thoroughly grasp, guide, support and assign targets to Social Security offices in districts, communes and other departments specializing in the deployment of VssID installation. At the same time, Social Security offices of provinces, districts and towns has strengthened the direct assignment of staff to units, businesses, medical facilities, residential areas, etc. to help with VssID app installation on the personal mobile devices. By the end of August 2020, the entire province has had over 84.340 citizens installing and using the VssID application.

Officials of Binh Thuan Social Security office provide guidance and installation of VssID for pensioners

The implementation of VssID application corresponds with the current trend of digital transformation, contributing to the publicity and transparency of information on policy regimes, legal interests of participants. However, due to a large number of people not using smartphones, the COVID-19 pandemic situation remains complicated. Binh Thuan is one of the regions implementing pandemic prevention measures following Directive. 15/TTg and Directive 16/TTg of the PM, which greatly affected the implementation of set goals.

In a flexible spirit and striving to increase the number of people in the region installing the VssID application, the province’s Social Security office has been actively combining pension payment, guiding on the installation of the VssID application for beneficiaries in the area. Accordingly, during the payment of pensions and Social Insurance granting of September and October 2021, at the pension payment units, Social Security office and the Post Office have arranged officials to directly propagate and guide the beneficiaries on registering to install and use VssID app; instructing on how to use Health Insurance card photo on the VssID application for medical examination and treatment instead of paper Health Insurance cards. The installation and usage of VssID app for the beneficiaries of monthly pensions, monthly Social Insurance and Unemployment Insurance benefits through the Postal system which is strictly organized by Binh Thuan Social Security office, complying with the 5K Message principles “Khau trang (Facemask) - Khu khuan (Disinfection) - Khoang cach (Distance) - Khong tu tap (No gathering) – Khai bao y te (Health declaration) of the Ministry of Health and regulations during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic’s prevention and control, in accordance with the province’s People's Committee and VSS.

High appreciation from the citizens.

When being approached by the Social Security officials and Post Office to install and experience the features of the VssID app, beneficiaries and citizens have all highly rated the application’s utility with the flexible and dedicated manner, considering it to be a suitable change for the digital age, which brought practical benefits to the Vietnam's Social Security industry.

Holding the phone with application installation by the social security officials, Mr. Hoang Anh Phuc, a retired officer in Thanh Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City said: I found it is convenient for citizens to use the Health Insurance card on the VssID app. Especially the faster registration for medical treatment; I no longer have to present a paper health insurance card when going to medical facilities and only need to use the electronic Health Insurance card on the VssID application, which minimizes the risks such as the card being lost, damaged, or torn compared to prior medical examinations using the Health Insurance card. Installing and using the VssID application can also help me check my medical history after each medical examination and treatment at medical facilities.

“After being dedicatedly guided by the provincial social security staff and the Post Office, I found that using the Health Insurance card on VssID also helps ensure full benefits for participants, providing more information on management (user’s Health Insurance code, residential address, participation process, the benefactions from the Health Insurance regimes, the time allowed to delay payment within the scope of the Health Insurance benefits when going to the right routes of medical facilities...) by looking through the receipt Portal’s data from the Health Insurance Assessment Information System and Vietnam Social Security’s Web Portal”, said Mr. Phuc.

Ms. Phan Thi Thu Thuy, a retired officer of Phu Thuy Ward, Phan Thiet City shared: “When I went to receive my pension this time, I was instructed by an official of Social Security office to register for the VssID app, so now I knew about the application’s features and utilities. With their guidance, I decided to change the form of receiving my pensions to ATM card payment instead of direct receipt. Next time, I will switch to receiving my pensions via ATM account, so I don’t need to go to the payment units anymore." According to Ms. Thuy, the implementation of VssID at the pension payment units by the provincial Social Security office has helped pensioners understand the application’s benefits. Especially in the complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the region, installing the VssID application can also help pensioners to be more proactive and assured in the pandemic’s prevention. In the coming time, the provincial Social Security office will continue to strengthen the business on information and propaganda about the VssID application; implementing digital public services in the Social Insurance and Health Insurance on the National Public Service Portal and the VSS’s Public Service Portal, promoting the receipt and return of the administrative procedures’ results through electronic transactions; effectively implement the "Determination to hastily accelerate the progress of successful task completion of implementing the VssID - Digital Social Security application” emulation movement launched by VSS; resolve difficulties and problems for participants of Social Insurance, Health Insurance and Unemployment Insurance during the implementation process in a timely manner. At the same time, focus on increasing the coverage of VssID app for participants of Social Insurance, Health Insurance and Unemployment Insurance at employment units; participants of voluntary Social Insurance, household Health Insurance; high school students, students of trade schools, colleges; pensioners, monthly Social Insurance beneficiaries throughout the province. Conduct electronic transactions for documents of Health Insurance collection records for students.

2021 has been a year with many difficulties and challenges for the collection and development business of Social Insurance and Health Insurance participants in Binh Thuan Province, including the collection of Health Insurance for students. According to preliminary statistics, the number of schools and educational institutions currently managed by the province’s Social Security Office is 401 units, which have over 200,000 students, with most of these students participating in Health Insurance.

Doing paper documents for the procedures of issuing Health Insurance cards for students can take up large amounts of time or incorrect information provided by the units, which greatly affects the process and time of returning Health Insurance cards, partly affecting students’ examination and treatment rights.

In order to excellently implement the reformation of administrative formalities and electronic transactions in the Health Insurance collection of students, enhance the efficiency and quality of professional work, the Revenue Management Branch has organized professional activities majoring in "Performing electronic transactions for students’ collected Health Insurance records" to all partisans and the public masses under the Collection Management Department. The thematic content clearly states the purposes and requirements of conducting electronic transactions for collecting students’ Health Insurance; the actual state of the process of receiving and handling students’ collection records of Health Insurance; evaluate and analyze the limitations of electronic transactions through records; determine the objectives and solutions to conduct electronic transactions for the records of students’ collected Health Insurance; responsibilities of managers, officials and employees in achieving the set goals.

With the goal of reaching 100% schools, educational institutions have conducted electronic transactions of collected students’ Health Insurance records from the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year; Successfully use the utilities and applications on the professional software to ensure accurate, timely and correct issuance of students’ health insurance cards. At the same time, through the thematic topic, clearly states the responsibilities of each partisan officers and the public masses of the Division and the Revenue Management Department in performing electronic transactions for the students’ collected Health Insurance records, and with determination and fruitful efforts in accomplishing the objectives that have been set out by the theme.