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Thanks to activities, solutions synchronizedly deployed from the Central to Localities, according to VSS’ statistics, during and after the troop, 105,300 people participated voluntary social and household health insurance including about 32,870 voluntary social insurance participants, 72,460 household health insurance participants.

On May 8^th 2022, the Troop was organized with more than 600 parades with more than 9,000 cars, motorbikes and about 6,600 groups directly promoted about 168,000 people. Owing to this troop, 75,614 people participated voluntary social insurance and household health insurance, in which 22,306 people participated voluntary social insurance , 53,308 people participated household health insurance (VN Post system expanded 13,299 voluntary social insurance participants, 25,790 household health insurance participants). Besides, some provinces including Phu Tho, Vung Tau, Dien Bien … organized 23 province/commune troops.

Illustrative image (VSS)

The propaganda before and during the Troop has been promoted in which about 1,400 bulletines, articles, reportages, infographic, motion, etc. are broadcasted on the mass media, Internet, social network; nearly 14,000 turns of broadcast via loudspeaker system; 8,542 communication products (banner, backdrop,…) are printed and hung. 

On November 21, 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1676/QĐ-TTg, approving the Comprehensive Reform Project on the Content, Forms, and Methods of Social Insurance (SI) Communication. As part of this initiative, May was designated as the annual Month for Universal Social Insurance Awareness and Implementation.

In recent years, the organization of this Social Insurance Awareness Month has aimed to raise public awareness across all social groups about social insurance (SI) and health insurance (HI)—key pillars of the national social security system. Additionally, it serves to promote and encourage public participation in SI and HI, working towards the goal of universal social insurance coverage. The initiative also seeks to motivate and enhance the sense of responsibility among individuals, workers, and employers in proactively participating in the social security policies of the Party and the State.

Social Insurance – For Social Security, Not for Profit

With the attention and support of the Party and the State, the mechanisms, policies, and legal framework for social insurance (SI) and health insurance (HI) have been continuously improved and synchronized, increasing the rights and benefits of participants while aligning with the country's socio-economic development and international practices. This has played a crucial role in ensuring better material and spiritual well-being for the people amid life’s uncertainties and risks, thereby strengthening social security. In line with this, the Social Insurance Law is currently being amended to expand coverage, enhance benefits, and increase attractiveness to encourage more workers to participate. Additionally, efforts are underway to streamline state management regulations and develop a modern, professional, efficient, transparent, and accountable implementation system.

Currently, the social insurance system consists of mandatory social insurance and voluntary social insurance. Among these, mandatory SI is of great significance not only for workers but also for businesses. It helps employees stabilize their lives while working and provides support when they lose the ability to work through five benefit schemes: sickness, maternity, work-related accidents and occupational diseases, retirement, and survivorship benefits. For businesses, having employees fully covered under SI and HI serves as a motivational factor that supports business growth by ensuring workforce stability. In fact, many businesses consider SI and HI benefits a key recruitment incentive to attract workers.

Sharing the same goal as mandatory SI in ensuring social security for all after retirement, voluntary SI was introduced in 2008 to enable informal-sector workers to participate. This program has proven to be highly beneficial, allowing all individuals access to retirement benefits and free HI coverage once they reach retirement age.

The retirement benefit system under SI is highly advantageous for workers, with pension payouts significantly exceeding contributions. Additionally, pensions are not fixed at the time of retirement but are periodically adjusted upward based on the consumer price index and economic growth to ensure a stable quality of life. Since 1995, the government has implemented 22 pension adjustments, and despite economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, pensions were still increased by 7.4% as of January 1, 2022.

Health Insurance – Protecting and Caring for Public Health

Alongside social insurance, health insurance (HI) is a key social security policy designed to mobilize community contributions, share the financial burden of illness, and reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs for individuals in times of sickness, disease, or accidents. According to the Health Insurance Law, everyone has the right to participate in HI and receive equal healthcare benefits. The HI fund covers medical expenses without limits, with benefits potentially reaching billions of VND per year. Participants also receive full coverage for eligible medical expenses, with no restrictions on age, number of treatment days, or total treatment costs. As a result, HI has helped many insured individuals overcome financial hardships caused by severe illnesses. Beyond financial support, HI serves as a psychological safety net, giving patients the motivation and confidence to fight diseases.

Currently, the list of medicines covered by the HI fund includes over 1,000 active ingredients, biological drugs, and hundreds of traditional medicines. This list covers cancer treatments, rare disease medications, blood-clotting disorder drugs, and a wide range of cardiovascular medicines, including those required for long-term or lifelong treatment.

Beyond medicine costs, HI participants also receive coverage for various medical services and equipment, including high-cost surgeries and procedures such as robotic surgery, joint replacements, spinal disc replacements, and pacemaker implants. Notably, some medical devices covered by HI can cost up to hundreds of millions of VND.

Most importantly, the HI fund covers treatment costs for all critical illnesses, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and rare conditions—diseases that require long-term or lifelong treatment and incur substantial expenses. Over the years, many HI policyholders suffering from serious illnesses have received medical reimbursements ranging from hundreds of millions to billions of VND, preventing families from falling back into poverty due to overwhelming healthcare costs.

By ensuring comprehensive coverage, social and health insurance continue to fulfill their mission of providing financial protection and securing a better quality of life for all citizens.