Director of the Social Insurance Agency of Bac Kan Province Lo Thi Hoan spoke about the implementation of tasks in the past ten months. The province had 22,533 compulsory social insurance participants by the end of October, fulfilling 95.66 per cent of the yearly target; the number of voluntary social insurance participants reached 9,725, equivalent to 83.44 per cent of the target and up by 5,512 compared to the same period last year; the number of unemployment insurance participants increased to 16,578, fulfilling nearly 95 per cent of the set target; and the coverage rate of health insurance fulfilled the set target by 97.53 per cent. Total social insurance collection reached 80.01 per cent of the set target.

Regarding the implementation of policies supporting employers and employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the province’s Social Insurance Agency provided financial assistance worth over VND17.3 billion for 7,028 eligible people. It also reduced contributions to the unemployment insurance fund for 385 units with 6,024 workers with a total amount of VND3.4 billion.

PHOTO: A view of the working session led by VSS General Deputy Director Pham Luong Son

Regarding communications, the province’s Social Insurance Agency has focused on disseminating information relating to guiding people affected by COVID-19 to get access to support from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, guiding people to install and use the Vietnam Social Security application (VssID), especially the use of health insurance card images on the VssID in medical examination and treatment services as of June 1, 202; and disseminating information on new health insurance card samples; health insurance for students and pupils on the threshold of the new school year; policies and benefits of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance; the province’s social insurance and health insurance support regulations; administrative reform; and COVID-19 prevention and control. Additionally, the provincial Social Insurance Agency promulgates information on the 26th anniversary of Viet Nam Social Security (February 16, 1995 – February 16, 2021), the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, as well as the election of deutpies to the 15th National Assembly and the People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term.

It has also proactively promoted related communications activities via social media and the agency’s website.

However, difficulties remain in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies in the province, particularly the collection of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance debts.

Director Hoan said in 2021, the province’s Social Insurance Agency strengthened measures to collect debts and develop social insurance and health insurance participants; and regularly coordinate with authorised agencies to examine businesses’ participation in social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance. However, the pandemic has limited communications activities.

Deputy Director General of the VSS Pham Luong Son appreciated results made by the province’s Social Insurance Agency in spite of difficulties caused by the pandemic. However, he said the agency needed to continue striving to overcome difficulties and fulfill all set targets, focusing on increasing information dissemination to mobilise more people to participate in social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance; improving operation efficiency of voluntary social insurance and health insurance collection agents; creating conditions for people to participate and benefit from social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance policies.

It was also necessary to speed up administrative reform and application of information technology to improve management efficiency, ensure the interests of participants and increase inspection and strictly punish those violating social insurance and health insurance regulations, he said.

In addition, the General Deputy Director of the VSS asked to strengthen the specialised inspection of the social insurance and health insurance scheme, and called for strong attempts to deal with individuals and units that violate social insurance and health insurance policies and laws. He said it was necessary to reinforce the dissemination of information on and instruction to facilitate insurance participants to use internet-based applications, including VssID./.