As one of the areas severely affected by Tropical Storm No. 3 (Yagi), Hai Phong Social Security Office currently actively implements solutions to overcome the damage and focus on ensuring the SI and HI benefits for local residents. Bui Minh Duc, Director of the Hai Phong Social Security Office, said that he had directed Social Security Offices in the districts under its jurisdiction to urgently implement measures to ensure the rights of social and health insurance participants. "The district Social Security Offices have proactively reported and consulted with local authorities to implement directives at the local level and flexibly carry out the tasks of the social insurance sector. Ensuring that residents and HI patients can fully, promptly and conveniently access their SI and HI benefits," Mr. Duc emphasized.

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At the same time, the Medical Claim Review division and district Social Security Offices are required to closely coordinate with healthcare facilities and relevant agencies to ensure sufficient medicines and medical supplies to serve HI patients. Officials are assigned to immediately address issues related to HI medical examination and treatment procedures, such as HI cards and referral documents, for all HI patients to receive timely medical examination and treatment. In case the power is cut off or denied internet access, the patients’ information updating on the system  (recorded in paper book, and later updating the system once the network is restored under regulation) will be directly implemented. Medical care for critically ill, emergency patients, or those injured or affected by storm and flood will be prioritized.

Specifically, the Finance - Planning sector is responsible for providing full and timely advance payments of HI medical funds to healthcare facilities, ensuring adequate budget on HI medicines, medical equipments, and preventing healthcare facility lack to serve HI patients. Additionally, the Finance Accounting Department coordinates with the Office of province and province Social Security Offices to immediately repair and address any damages caused by Tropical Storm No. 3 at the office buildings, ensuring the continued operations of the office.

Thai Nguyen Social Security Office deploys solutions to ensure the continuous and effective implementation of regular duties at all Social Security Offices across the province. A task force has been assigned, consisting of leaders, officials, and employees, to be on duty 24/7 at the headquarters of the provincial Social Security Office and at eight district and city-level Social Security Offices during the storm, proactively deploying and responding to the unusual developments of the storm and floods to protect the agency’s assets.

Lo Thi Hoan, Director of Thai Nguyen Social Security Office stated: As of September 9^th, there is not any damages on property, record, or document have been reported by the province Social Security Office. Before the storm, most records, documents, assets, and tools were transferred to the second floor or placed in elevated locations to prevent fire and explosion. The Social Security Office continues to serve organizations and individuals before, during, and after the storm and floods. So far, the office has ensured that pension has been paid by the bank account of 38,274 beneficiaries, with a total amount of 245.4 billion VND already paid.”

The Storm No. 3 and the flood caused serious damage in the northern provinces, particularly in mountainous areas. In Lao Cai, the provincial Social Security Office urgently addresses the damages while striving to maintain regular operations. Duong Minh Tan, Director of the Social Security Office of Lao Cai province, reported that the office had instructed healthcare facilities in Bao Yen and Si Ma Cai districts to manually record medical examination and treatment data search due to the inability to access HI cards and referral data, which affected the HI data. Once the stable situation, it is necessary to support data transmission and medical expense reimbursement for the units.

Going breast with the Party committees, authorities, and political-social organizations, the Social Security Offices of the northern mountainous provinces have continuously strived to ensure that social and HI benefits for the the people are provided timely and adequately complete manner. Despite the challenges caused by storms and floods, the mountanous province Social Security Offices closely coordinated with healthcare facilities to quickly address the benefits of HI participants, and ensure that residents can access medical services and receive maximum support, especially under emergencies. Flexible support measures, such as extending the validity of HIcards, adjusting payment methods, facilitating medical services, and simplying administrative procedures for medical referrals, have contributed to ensuring HI examination and treatment and alleviating difficulties for residents in flood-affected areas.

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As one of the areas severely affected by Tropical Storm Yagi, Cao Bang province Social Security Office currently actively coordinate with the health industry and medical facilities across the province to ensure HI medical examination and treatment for patients to help residents and patients fully enjoy their SI and HI benefits with the quickest and simplest procedures. According to Ngo Van Chien, Director of Cao Bang province Social Security Office, to ensure that residents' rights are not interrupted or affected by the floods, the office closely coordinate with the Department of Health and HI medical  examination and treatment facilities to ensure the people’s continuous right for medical treatment and cost reimbursement. At the same time, flexible measures are being applied to carry out professional tasks under the actual conditions.

Also being heavily affected by Tropical Storm Yagi, Lao Cai province Social Security Office currently works with the relevant authorities and local residents to focus all resources on urgently recovering from the storm damage. The office has fully advanced funds to HI medica examination and treatment facilities. Additionally, staff  have been assigned to be on duty at healthcare facilities to promptly address issues related to medical examination and treatment procedures for patients, such as HI cards and referral documents, ensuring that all patients access timely examination and treatment.

During the days when Tropical Storm No. 3 swept through the northern mountainous provinces, Social Security Office’s employees in the affected areas quickly implemented various solutions to ensure that residents' social insurance and HIrights amidst the storms and floods. Despite the challenges, they closely coordinated with the healthcare industry, flexibly extended HI card validity, adjusted payment methods, and simplified procedures to prevent interruption in residents' access to medical services. In isolated areas with lack of electricity or internet, Social Security Offices continued to manually update data, ensuring that the rights of HIparticipants were addressed promptly and accurately. Meanwhile, healthcare stations in deeply flooded areas worked resiliently to evacuate equipment and promptly receive patients. The tireless efforts of the social insurance industry contributed to maintaining healthcare benefits for residents in flood-affected areas, working hand-in-hand with the community to overcome the disaster./.