Indicators Increase Compared to the Same Period

At the conference, the Chief of Staff of Vietnam Social Security (VSS) reported a comprehensive evaluation of the results of leadership, management, and task implementation throughout the entire industry during the first eight months of 2024. Accordingly, the whole industry has continued to proactively and actively coordinate with relevant Ministries and office in the development and amendment of draft laws and important documents related to the implementation of social insurance (SI) and health insurance (HI) policies. The work of collection, accounting, personnel organization, digital transformation, administrative procedure resolution, and policy communication has been continuously strengthened and diversified in content and form. In addition, there have been positive results in inspection and examination, administrative procedure reform, IT application, and digital transformation in the industry's operations.

VSS has issued many documents on professional guidelines and direction while continuing to actively coordinate with relevant ministries and industries in drafting and amending key laws related to the implementation of SI and HI policies, such as Law on Social Insurance, the amended Law on  Health Insurance, and the amended Law on Employment, actively cooperating with the Departments of Health, Ministry of Health to resolve obstacles in health insurance medical examination and treatment (HIMET), ensuring the benefits for HI participants. Numerous reports and documents have been built and submitted to the National Assembly, the Government, and relevant ministries.

Regarding key indicators, the report stated that by the end of August 2024, more than 18.742 million social insurance participants nationwide, an increase by 8.79% compared to the same period in 2023. In which, 16.889 million participate compulsory social insurance participants, increasing by 6.83%; 1.852 million voluntary social insurance participants, increasing by 30.65% compared to the same period in 2023. Unemployment insurance (UI) has 15.175 million participants nationwide, increasing by 7.61% compared to the same period in 2023. The number of health insurance participants nationwide reached 92.972 million, increasing by 1.64% compared to the same period in 2023. By the end of August, the total revenue from SI, unemployment (UI), and HI in the industry reached 333.029 trillion VND, increase by 12.3% compared to the same period in 2023.

With the general difficulties of the economy, VSS has instructed provincial and city social security offices to decisively implement comprehensive solutions to increase participation premiums, speed up premiums collection, and reduce late social and health insurance premiums payment. It is necessary to advise local authorities to integrate social and health insurance coverage targets into local council resolutions and assign participation growth targets to the district and commune social security office. Local social security office have also been proactive in advising on plans and solutions to ensure that social and health insurance coverage targets are met.

VSS’ General Director Nguyen The Mạnh chairs the September 2024 monthly conference

At the conference, departments leaders reported detailed progress in several key areas over the first eight months and provided forecasts and plans for the remaining months of the year. The industry's leadership then gave directives and outlined measures for future task implementation.

According to Director of Contribution Collection and Insurance Book and Card Department, Duong Van Hao, there have been positive signals in the collection and expansion of social, health, and unemployment participants. Specifically, in only August, 134,000 compulsory social insurance participants. Hao indicated that in the coming time, they will continue to implement the 2024 collection plan and social, health, and unemployment insurance participants expansion. VSS has promptly introduced flexible, creative, and effective solutions to support and guide local social security offices to ensure timely implementation.

In the health insurance field, Director of the Health Insurance Policy Implementation Department, Le Van Phuc, reported that the department actively coordinated with MOH in amending the Law on Health Insurance (expected to be passed by the National Assembly in October 2024). Additionally, the department has guided local social security offices on implementing Government Decree 75, including budget estimate and criteria establishment for warnings for controlling health insurance medical examination and treatment costs to protecting participants' rights.

In the area of social insurance policy implementation, Director of the Social Insurance Policy Implementation Department, Do Ngoc Tho, pointed out that the workers borrowed the records to enjoy annual pension benefits, thus badly affecting the social insurance fund. The department will work with relevant authorities to address and prevent such activities.

The IT Center Director, Le Nguyen Bong, mentioned that they have been actively upgrading software and IT applications to fulfill their responsibilities. In particular, pension and social insurance benefit payments for August and September were successfully implemented via bank accounts timely and effectively.

Regarding communication, Director of the Media Center, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, highlighted several recent achievements. The center has closely followed VSS's directives, focusing on communicating participants' rights and benefits under the social and health insurance schemes, the new points in the revised Law on Social Insurance, the new pension and social insurance benefits payment regulations, and the policy on student health insurance. Additionally, the center has actively worked with the Vietnam Association of the Elderly and related units to finalize regulations to ensure the maximum benefits for the elderly participating social and health insurance.

Positive Development for the Final Months of the Year

At the conference, Nguyen Van Cuong, Vice Chairman of the VSS Management Board, reviewed the collaboration between the VSS Management Board and VSS, and outlined directions for implementing and health insurance policies in the coming time. He emphasized that it is essential for VSS to promptly prepare materials for the upcoming regular meeting of the VSS Management Board.

Concluding the confernce, General Director Nguyen The Manh praised the industry’s achievements in the first eight months of 2024. He judged that significant challenges remain for the rest of the year, urging the industry to remain vigilant and proactive. VSS must continue to closely follow the Party National Assembly’s, and Government’s directions regarding social and health insurance policies, strengthening cooperation with relevant ministries to finalize legislation. Finally, it is neccesary to enhance communication, digital transformation, and administrative procedure simplification to ensure sustainability and growth of the industry.

Vice Chairman of the VSS Management Board, Nguyen Van Cuong deliver a speech

Cuong also emphasized that, according to the report from VSS, in August, healthcare costs under the Health Insurance (HI) scheme nationwide increased by 10% compared to the same period last year (exceeding the estimate by VND 9.5 trillion, with a forecast of exceeding VND 12 trillion by the end of the year) which is concerned. He noted that it is nessary to implement solution cordination, including strengthening HI review and increasing inspection of healthcare facilities in some provinces and cities where the risk of rising healthcare costs is high, to ensure proper management of healthcare costs and maintain the safety and stability of the HI fund.

Concluding the conference, General Director Nguyen The Manh praised the results achieved by the industry in the first eight months of 2024. He noted that the industrys key indicators have all increased compared to the same period last year, demonstrating significant efforts by the entire industry. However, challenges and difficulties at the end of 2024 are considerable, so the industry must remain vigilant and proactive.

The General Director required the whole industry to continue closely following the Party’s, National Assembly’s, and Government’s guidelines and directives on social insurance and health insurance policies. He emphasized the need for close cooperation with ministries and agencies in developing and refining relevant laws. He directs province/city social security offices to urgently enhance their advisory roles to mobilize all levels in implementing social and health insurance policies, setting targets for each commune and ward, and ensuring sustainable growth.

For the coming tasks, General Director Nguyen The Manh requested departments to closely follow the Government’s and the industry’s directives for serious implementation and coordinate with ministries and industries to address difficulties in task implementation and develop synchronous and effective plans and scenarios.

Communication should be actively promoted, especially revised laws passed by the National Assembly, promoting online public services, and full digital transformation. It is necessary to  maximize the effective exploitation of IT and industry databases to detect and prevent fraud, safety fund management, and ensure sustainable growth, review and simplify administrative procedures, expanding online public services to level 4, and accelerate digital transformation, to complete and connect data systems on social, health and the national insurance database.

The General Director also directed VSS’ departments to closely cooperate with affiliated units of ministries and industries in the process of researching and amending Law on Health Insurance and Law on Employment. Reports are clearly built to assess the current situation and propose the laws amendment to ensure laws’ practical requirements.

The General Director stressed the units to promote task implementation, review outstanding plans and programs for timely issuance, and focus on effectively implementing policies to ensure the rights of citizens and employees, particularly HI examination and treatment patients under the HI. They should also advise on resolving issues within the Government’s and relevant ministries; authority. He emphasized strict adherence to the 4-clearance; policy and the responsibilities of unit leaders.