NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at a group discussion during the second session of the 15th National on October 22, 2021

On November 20, 2014, the NA passed the Law on Social Insurance No 58/2014/QH13 (which took effect on January 1, 2016), assigning social insurance agencies to perform the function of specialised inspection of the payment of social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance premiums. Since then, Viet Nam Social Security (VSS) has always been proactive and made efforts to work with relevant ministries and sectors to perform this task. Initial outcomes indicate that specialised inspections resulted in an increased number of enrollees, increased contributions and debt collection management; which helped reduce fraud and abuse while better protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance participants. Over the years, specialised inspections of the payment of social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance premiums have also made certain improvements both in quality and quantity.

In 2015 when social insurance agencies had not yet been assigned the task of specialised inspection of the payment of social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance premiums, total amount of payable debt was VND7,780.6 billion, equal to 3.74 per cent of the receivables assigned by the Government. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 the payable debt amount dropped to 2.7 per cent; 2.2 per cent; 1.7 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively of the receivables. However, the payable debt amount rose again in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2016-2020 period, the social insurance sector carried out specialised inspection at 75,785 establishments, detecting 240,245 violations with premiums worth VND664 billion in need of retrieval (excluding interest); fined or proposed a fine in 2,103 cases, with total fines worth VND114.5 billion.

VSS General Director Nguyen The Manh inspects administrative reform in Nghe An Province’s Social Security in 2020

In 2020, despite the pandemic, specialised inspections were still carried out in a proper and flexible manner through the application of information technology. As a result, the whole sector conducted 8,567 inspections of 11,875 units, finding 35,271 violations; and recovering VND1,443 billion out of the payable debt of VND1,971 billion owed by inspected units  (the recovery rate reached 73.2 per cent).

As a result of specialised inspections, in the 2016-2020 period, total violations detected and handled reached 120 per cent while the amount requested for arrears was 451 per cent as compared to the 2011-2015 period, when only normal inspections were made. In the 2018-2019 period, VSS proposed to prosecute 354 cases, of which investigating bodies are reviewing 157 cases (in which decisions have been made to prosecute six cases).

VSS’ specialised inspection achieves initial positive outcomes, which need to be further promoted. Illustrative Photo

Since being assigned specialised inspections, VSS has always attached special attention to this function, constantly improving and supplementing professional processes and providing training to enhance the qualifications of the inspection staff from Central to local levels.

There are over 2,500 qualified staff specialised in inspection and examination in the whole sector.

VSS accelerated the application of information technology in inspection and monitoring activities; exploiting and analysing data to identify signs of abuses and violations. In 2019, VSS put into use the inspection management software which has been gradually upgraded and supplemented with new functions of data processing and warnings in inspection and monitoring activities (121 identifying signs of 77 violations in the implementation of policies and laws in social, unemployment and health insurance and 141 identifying signs of wrongdoings in professional practice).

Statistics indicate that time spent on inspection and monitoring activities in one unit has reduced from 20 hours (equal to two and a half working days) to 10.5 hours (equal to more than one working day) thanks to the application of information technology.

Above all, it can be seen that inspection and monitoring activities, particularly specialised inspections of the payment of premiums by VSS, have produced positive results, which helped improve both employers’ and employees’ compliance with laws on social, unemployment and health insurance (the average debt recovery rate of over 70 per cent through specialised inspection was one piece of evidence). Based on the existing human resources and database, VSS’ specialised inspections will be improved and stand ready to perform any new duties and roles assigned by the National Assembly and Government./.