The image of the health insurance card on the VssID application, the chip-based citizen identification card (CCCD) and the VNEID application replaces the paper health insurance card to go for medical care using health insurance.

Vietnam Social Security (VSS) has deployed the application on the mobile device platform "VssID - Digital Social Insurance" to establish a communication channel, provide participants and beneficiaries of social and health insurance regimes and policies with information and benefits, and the steps to perform public services in the most convenient, easy and fastest way, step by step replacing paper health insurance cards and paper social insurance books. This application has an important meaning in carrying out people's medical examination and treatment procedures, which provides information related to medical care, history of treatment with health insurance, etc. to help people and employees actively manage medical information, directly supervise to ensure the interests of participants, and ensure the publicity and transparency of policy-implementing agencies and organizations.

The image of the health insurance card on the VssID application, the chip-based citizen identification card and the VNEID application replaces the paper health insurance card to go for medical care using health insurance.

From June 1, 2021, people across the country can use the health insurance card image on the VssID application when going for medical care instead of using a paper health insurance card. This implementation is a real step in line with the requirements of administrative reform and digital transformation of Vietnam's social insurance industry. As a result, as of July 19, 2022, nationwide, there were about 26,322,237 individual electronic transaction accounts registered and approved (used to log in using VssID application), including 713,018 people with 1,299,323 times using health insurance cards on VssID application for health care using health insurance. The use of health care services through the use of health insurance card images on VssID application has brought various benefits to patients and medical facilities, especially reducing the time to declare information and compare data during medical treatment, limiting the need to carry out procedures for re-issuing paper health insurance cards, helping participants to assure about losing or damaging their paper health insurance cards like before, etc.

In addition, in order to simplify the procedure for medical examination and treatment using health insurance and create favorable conditions for people so they do not have to carry numerous kinds of documents when going for medical treatment, the VSS has cooperated with the Ministry of Public Security (Department C06) to implement the authentication of citizen information, deploy the use of the citizen identification card, the application of national electronic identification (VNEID) to replace paper health insurance cards for medical care using health insurance according to Decision No. 06/QD-TTg dated January 6th/ 2022 by the Prime Minister approving the Scheme on developing the application of data on population, identification, electronic authentication data for national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period, with a vision toward 2030.

At present, people can basically use citizen identification for medical treatment using health insurance. After nearly 5 months of piloting health insurance with the chip-based citizen identification, as of July 19, 2022, nationwide, there were 6,856 medical care facilities with health insurance that looked up health insurance card information using citizen identification with 335,647 successful searches in service of medical treatment with health insurance using chip-based citizen identification.

Shortening the time to issue health insurance cards; creating maximum convenience for users

The time for new issuance of health insurance cards: from 10 days down to 05 days. In case of re-issuance or change of health insurance cards if there is no change in information: the re-issuance or change of cards shall be carried out within the same day upon receipt of complete dossiers as prescribed. In case of re-issuance or change of health insurance cards if the information is changed, the re-issuance or change of cards is reformed from 07 days to no more than 03 days from the date of receipt of complete dossiers as prescribed. The time for re-issuance and exchange of health insurance cards for participants undergoing treatment at medical facilities is within the same day upon receipt of complete dossiers as prescribed.

People can go to the nearest social security agency to carry out procedures to change their health insurance cards (without changing information), regardless of location

Previously, according to regulations, the social security agency of a district or province has the authority to re-issue and change the health insurance card (for the card that does not change information), since August 16, 2021, the social security agency of the district and province has the authority to re-issue and change the health insurance card (without changing the information) according to the new form of health insurance card for the participants of health insurance in other districts and provinces. Therefore, if the paper health insurance card is lost or damaged but the participant does not use a smartphone to install the VssID application, they can go to the nearest social security agency to carry out procedures to change the health insurance card. The time limit for settlement is within the day upon receipt of complete dossiers as prescribed.

The time to issue health insurance cards is shortened, creating maximum convenience for participants (Illustrative image)

Diversifying forms of receiving dossiers and the process of returning results of settlement of administrative procedures related to health insurance are flexibly implemented

The submission of documents and receipt of results of settlement of administrative procedures related to health insurance is done flexibly by many methods such as:

- Directly at the one-stop shop.

- Via public postal service (no charge for organizations and businesses).

- Through electronic transactions and online public services: The VSS has completed providing level-4 public services for all administrative procedures of the sector (including 25 administrative procedures). By the end of May 2022, the VSS has connected and synchronized the results of processing dossiers of public services on the National Public Service Portal for administrative procedures under the jurisdiction of the VSS. In which, there are 05 procedures related to registration, adjustment of health insurance premiums, and renewal of health insurance cards.

Renewing household-based health insurance cards online on the National Public Service Portal

Since December 2019, the VSS has deployed the public service "Renewal of household-based health insurance cards" on the National Public Service Portal to serve the needs of renewing household-based health insurance cards in the form of online transactions, which is convenient, fast, saving travel costs for citizens. The card renewal service is highly appreciated by the people because it ensures convenience and limits the interruption of continuous participation in health insurance, helping people to fully enjoy medical benefits. According to statistics, from January 1, 2022 to July 19, 2022, the VSS received and resolved to renew for 19,978 cases of online renewal of health insurance cards through the National Public Service Portal.

In addition, the VSS has provided the public service of renewal of health insurance cards for households with deduction of premiums on the VSS' Public Service Portal. At the same time, the industry is coordinating with the Government Office to integrate on the National Service Portal.

Renewing household health insurance cards online on the National Public Service Portal (Illustrative image)

Benefits from health insurance coverage thanks to the Health Insurance Assessment Information System

The health insurance assessment information system has been officially put into operation by the VSS since 2017, so far, it has brought numerous benefits to health insurance participants, health facilities, social security agencies and management agencies.

Through the reform of administrative procedures, promotion of IT application, and digital transformation of Vietnam's social insurance industry, it has brought conveniences, advantages, and saved time and costs when participating in, and enjoying the regimes and policies of health insurance for participants. Thereby, it shall encourage people to actively participate in health insurance, contributing to achieving the goal of universal health insurance./.