Participants included Deputy Chair Commissioner in charge of the VSS Board of Commissioners Nguyen Van Cuong, VSS Deputy Director General Tran Dinh Lieu, Dao Viet Anh and Le Hung Son; heads of VSS agencies and leaders of Hanoi Social Security.

VSS Director General Nguyen The Manh speaks at the meeting

Targets increased

VSS Chief of Staff Chu Manh Sinh said in July, VSS continued to proactively and actively coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies in building and adjusting important draft laws relating to the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies. The VSS also issued many professional directions and organised conferences and forums, bringing positive results.

As of July 31, 2022, the total number of social insurance participants across the country reached 16,880,493 (equivalent to 34.1 per cent of the labour force), increasing by 333,636 people in comparison with the same period in 2021 and fulfilling 88 per cent of the assigned target. The number of unemployment insurance participants reached over 15.2 million, increasing by 451,024 people in comparison with the figure for 2021. The total number of health insurance participants stood at 91,760,722, equivalent to 87.6 per cent of the population.

However, the number of voluntary social insurance and health insurance participants dropped in comparison with the figure for 2021. The number of voluntary social insurance participants reached just 58.4 per cent of the yearly target.

In July, 994,067 people benefited from the social insurance policy.

Deputy Director General of VSS Tran Dinh Lieu speaks at the meeting

In July, the VSS continued to review and propose authorised agencies to tackle difficulties in the implementation of social and unemployment insurance for labourers. The VSS also directed social insurance agencies of localities to closely coordinate with provincial Departments of Health and local medical establishments to ensure the supply of medicines and medical materials for health examination and treatment covered by health insurance.

Difficulties and solutions

At the meeting, delegates also discussed difficulties and shortcomings in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies. The social insurance and health insurance coverage rate increased but the increase remained slow. The development of voluntary social insurance participants is still limited. The number of voluntary social insurance participants who stopped participating in the social insurance policy tended to increase. Social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance debts are at a high rate.

From now to the end of 2022, the whole sector needs to add 2,298,821 people participating in social insurance, including 1,350,465 compulsory social insurance participants, 948,356 voluntary social insurance participants and 1,354,755 unemployment insurance participants, in order to fulfill the set target.

As of July 2022, the number of health insurance participants dropped by 2,151,408, in comparison with the end of 2021, requiring the sector to mobilise an additional 5,074,962 participants to meet the assigned target.

VSS Deputy Director General Dao Viet Anh speaks at the meeting

VSS Deputy Director General Tran Dinh Lieu said the results in the collection of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance premiums in the first seven months of the year reflected the sector’s efforts in developing participants. However, he said, many provinces still failed to follow VSS’ direction and guidelines so the collection of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance premiums failed to meet set targets. 

VSS Deputy Director Generals Dao Viet Anh and Le Hung Son said difficulties remained, so in the last months of the year, the VSS and social insurance agencies of localities must determine and strive to fulfill the set targets, particularly targets relating to voluntary social insurance participants and health insurance participants.

VSS Deputy Director General Le Hung Son speaks at the meeting

Determination to fulfil set targets

VSS Director General Nguyen The Mạnh spoke highly of achievements made by the whole sector in the past seven months.

He asked the sector to closely follow the direction of the Government and the National Assembly and relevant agencies to carry out assigned tasks and fulfill set targets; and actively coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to amend related laws and deal with shortcomings.

The VSS should take measures to increase the responsibility of directors of social insurance agencies of localities and districts, he said.

A view of the meeting

VSS Director General Manh also ordered to speed up inspection and strictly punish violators in the field of social insurance and health insurance; promote information dissemination; and continue to take measures to support and tackle difficulties for medical establishments managed by the social insurance sector.

The whole sector needed to enhance discipline and promote the role and responsibilities of leaders of agencies and units; strictly punish violations in implementing public tasks; and determine to fulfill targets set for 2022./.