The supervision delegation included Deputy General Director of  VSS, Đao Viet Anh, along with representatives of the leadership from various units of VSS. On the side of Sơn La Province, there were Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Đang Ngoc Hau, leaders of the provincial Social Security Office, representatives from district-level Social Security offices, and relevant departments, agencies, and organizations.

In his opening remarks, Head of the Supervision delegation Hoang Quang Phong stated that: The main purpose of the supervision activities in general, and the supervision of VSS Board of Commissioners at Son La Province Social Security Office in particular, is to evaluate the implementation of guidelines and policies through the assigned targets and tasks. This supervision aims to identify innovative and effective solutions, as well as point out existing shortcomings and limitations in the implementation process. Consequently, this will lead to recommendations and proposals for solutions to enhance the effectiveness of policy formulation and implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies nationwide.

To ensure the conference achieves the highest results, the Head of the Delegation requested the delegates to focus on reporting and discussing key issues, including: the advantages and challenges in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies; the implementation of processes, regulations, and solutions for organizing the implementation of these policies; and the results of policy implementation. These are important indicators for evaluating the quality of task execution.

Efforts to ensure social welfare

Peport at the working session, Director of Sơn La Province Social Insurance, Thieu Quang Ngai stated that, in recent times, Sơn La Province Social Insurance has consistently received close attention and direction from VSS, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, and the People's Committee of Sơn La province. Additionally, the effective implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies has been achieved through close coordination with various departments, agencies, organizations, and businesses.

As a result, by April 2024: The total number of participants is 84.319 individuals (with 60.393 mandatory participants reaching 95.7% of VSS's assigned plan, and 23,926 voluntary participants reaching 60.1% of VSS’s assigned plan).

The head of the Supervision Delegation, Hoang Quang Phong, delivered a speech at the working session

Notably, the Son La Province Social Security Office has coordinated with the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to advise the Provincial People's Committee for the issuance of Resolution No. 49/2022/NQ-HĐND. Accordingly, from January 1st, 2023, the provincial budget provides an additional 10% support for four groups of voluntary social insurance participants, including: ethnic minorities, people from poor and near-poor households, and those from agricultural, forestry, and fishery households with average living standards. As a result, in 2023, the province enrolled 2,156 new participants and encouraged 10,838 individuals who had stopped contributing to rejoin.

In addition to the achievements in participant development, the collection and reduction of overdue payments for social insurance and health insurance have also been emphasized, resulting in positive changes.Specifically: In 2023, the overdue payment rate was 1.41%, which was 0.21% higher than the target set by VSS for reducing overdue payments (1.2%); the overdue payment rate including interest was 0.17%, which was 0.85% lower than the assigned target (1.02%). By April 2024, the overdue payment rate compared to the planned target was 2.21%, which was 0.14% lower than the target for reducing overdue payments set for the second quarter of 2024 (2.35%); the overdue payment rate including interest was 0.73%, which was 0.92% lower than the target set by VSS (1.65%). Sơn La province Social Insurance has actively applied information technology and electronic transactions in handling professional tasks. It has effectively received and resolved social insurance claims through VSS’s public service portal. From January 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024, a total of 114,402 cases of beneficiaries of social insurance schemes were received and resolved, with 98,262 cases submitted electronically, accounting for 85.9% of the total resolved cases.

Implementing the tasks of Project 06 of the Government, up to now, 228 out of 228 healthcare facilities providing health insurance in the province have been able to look up health insurance card information using chip-based citizen identification cards on the Data reception portal of the Health insurance inspection information system. In 2022, there were 86,578 lookups, with 46,640 successful lookups; in 2023, there were 638,626 lookups, with 534,652 successful lookups; and in the first quarter of 2024, there were 172,246 lookups, with 150,171 successful lookups. The number of participants in social insurance and health insurance synchronized with the National Population Database is 1,162,983 out of 1,165,515 people (reaching a rate of 99.78%). Coordination in propaganda, guidance on installing and using the VssID application at agencies, labor units, schools, healthcare facilities, and residential areas has been conducted; the total number of people installing and using the VssID application: in 2021 was 102,174 people, reaching 114.35% of the assigned plan; in 2022 was 17,652 people, reaching 100% of the assigned plan; and in 2023 was 56,318 people, reaching 103.2% of the assigned plan.

However, alongside these achievements, the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies in Son La province has encountered many difficulties and challenges. Son La is a poor province, lacking advantages in industrial development, with no large factories or enterprises to attract many workers. Most people work in other provinces, so the province does not have a source to develop compulsory social insurance.

Based on a comprehensive identification of difficulties and limitations, in the upcoming period, Son La Province Social Security Office will continue to closely follow the guidelines and directives of VSS, the Provincial Party Committee, and the Provincial People's Committee. From there, they will develop and implement solutions and operational scenarios to adapt to actual developments and situations. Simultaneously, they will devise implementation plans and strive to comprehensively achieve the targets and tasks for the development of social insurance and health insurance according to the set roadmap. "The goal for 2024 is to have 18.8% of the working-age population participating in social insurance and 96.1% of the population covered by health insurance," stated the Director of Son La Province Social Security Office. During the meeting, representatives from various departments and agencies in the province highlighted the difficulties and limitations in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies over the past period. They identified both objective and subjective reasons to propose solutions and recommendations.

Overcoming difficulties in policy implementation

Speaking at the working session, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, Dang Ngoc Hau, stated: In recent times, the Provincial People's Committee has actively and proactively directed the serious implementation of resolutions and directives from the Party and the Government on social insurance and health insurance policies in the province; proposed including the health insurance coverage target in the Resolution of the 15th Provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term. To continue effectively fulfilling the assigned tasks, the Vice Chairman suggested that the Son La Province Social Security Office should maintain a proactive role in advisory and coordination tasks. District-level social insurance offices should actively advise the Steering Committee and district authorities to effectively promote and intensify the dissemination of social insurance and health insurance policies; closely manage the resolution and disbursement of benefits, ensuring convenience for the people, and strengthen administrative reform efforts; continuous efforts to enhance inspection, examination, and handling of violations related to social insurance and health insurance. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere closely to the directives, guidelines, and orientations from VSS, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee. It is necessary to promptly translate these into specific objectives, tasks, and solutions to achieve the targets set for 2024.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Director General Dao Viet Anh stated that all the general tasks of the Son La Province Social Security Office have been implemented effectively, including revenue and expenditure targets and the timely resolution of policies. Significantly, the advisory work for the Party Committee and local authorities, as directed by VSS, has been effective. Additionally, the agency has promptly implemented all circulars, decrees, and guidelines, and has organized processes and procedures in accordance with regulations.

Deputy Director General of VSS Dao Viet Anh, delivered a speech

At the same time, Deputy Director General of VSS shared the difficulties and obstacles in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies in Son La province. He emphasized that, based on the achievements made, the Son La provincial Social Security Office needs to propose more effective solutions and methods; particularly by enhancing revenue collection and increasing the number of participants, intensify the dissemination and communication of policies and laws on social insurance and health insurance, and strengthen the guidance on procedures and processes for participating in social insurance for workers and employers. Furthermore, it is essential to focus on administrative procedure reform and the application of information technology to meet the satisfaction of citizens and businesses, aiming for the sustainable development of social insurance and health insurance policies in the upcoming period.

Deputy Director General of VSS, Dao Viet Anh requested that the People's Committee and People's Council of Son La province continue to pay close attention to and direct the implementation of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies, need to enhance communication and dissemination of these policies. He also urged Son La province to further leverage the effectiveness of Project 06 to ensure better service for the people and efficient social governance.

In concluding the working session, Head of the Supervisory Delegation Hoang Quang Phong highly appreciated the close attention and involvement of the entire political system, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee in implementing social insurance, unemployment insurance, and health insurance policies. With the involvement of party committees, authorities, and the close coordination of various provincial departments, agencies, and localities, Son La Province has developed and issued numerous programs and action plans with specific timelines and clearly assigned responsibilities to relevant agencies, organizations, and units. This has enabled the provincial social security office to fulfill its assigned political tasks.

Listening to the reports, the Head of the Supervisory Delegation pointed out the difficulties and limitations in the implementation of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies in the province over the recent period. Accordingly, although the number of participants in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance has met the targets set by the Provincial People's Committee, it is still quite far from the goals of Central Resolution No. 28 and Resolution No. 20. The situation of lump-sum social insurance withdrawals in Son La Province is notable, with 13,283 individuals withdrawing their lump – sum social insurance in 2023 and 3,954 individuals withdrawing their lump – sum social insurance in the first quarter of 2024. Additionally, the cost of health insurance medical examinations and treatments is on the rise in 2024, and it is projected to exceed the allocated budget. There are various reasons for this, both subjective and objective, but it is evident that the rate of increase in the number of health insurance medical examinations and treatments and the associated costs in the first five months of 2024 at medical facilities is higher than the national average for health insurance medical costs in the first five months of 2024.

To successfully achieve the targets and goals set by Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW, Mr. Hoang Quoc Phong, through the supervisory process, expressed the need for stronger involvement from party committees and authorities at all levels in leading and directing departments and agencies in the implementation of social insurance, unemployment insurance, and health insurance policies in the locality. Particularly important is the strengthening and organization of the Steering Committee for the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies at all levels, as well as reporting and submitting to competent authorities for approval of the province's specific policies, such as providing financial support for voluntary social insurance participation and expanding the groups eligible for financial support to purchase health insurance cards, including vulnerable individuals and students.

The overall view of the working session.

At the same time, the Head of the Supervisory Delegation also requested that the relevant departments and agencies continue to closely coordinate with the provincial Social Security Office in communicating, propagating, and disseminating policies and laws regarding social insurance and health insurance, to ensure that all levels, sectors, workers, citizens, and employers clearly understand the role, purpose, and significance of social insurance and health insurance, encouraging active participation and reducing the incidence of lump-sum social insurance withdrawals. He urged the Tax and Planning and Investment sectors closely coordinate with the provincial Social Security Office to develop solutions for effective data analysis and timely management of units and workers within the scope of participation. Furthermore, direct relevant departments and agencies to cooperate with the provincial Social Security Office in administrative procedure reforms, reducing time and saving costs for organizations and individuals participating in social insurance, unemployment insurance, and health insurance; and to enhance the payment of social benefits through bank accounts (ATMs).

Regarding health insurance medical examination and treatment services, he recommended that the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee focus on directing and implementing solutions to further enhance the quality of medical services, such as: allocating resources to invest in equipment for hospitals, developing human resources through training plans, and facilitating the transfer of technology from central hospitals; avoid situations where health insurance cardholders must be transferred to other localities or higher-level facilities for treatment.

Direct the Department of Health and medical facilities to promptly procure and tender for drugs and medical supplies to ensure the adequate and timely provision for health insurance medical examination and treatment; ensuring that the rights of patients with health insurance cards are not affected. The Supervisory Delegation requested the Provincial People's Committee to direct the provincial social insurance agency to coordinate with the Department of Health to regularly review and issue warnings in case of abnormally increasing medical costs when compared to hospitals of the same rank, line, and specialty in the region or nationwide. Direct the Department of Health to coordinate with the provincial social insurance agency and related agencies to strengthen inspection and examination efforts, promptly detect and handle cases of abuse and exploitation of the health insurance fund./.