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Local government plays a key role

The Party and State have always paid attention to directing the development and promotion of the implementation of social and health insurance policies, in which the leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities at all levels in the implementation of social and health insurance policies are prioritized by the Party and State and clearly reflected in various documents such as Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW dated November 22, 2012 of the Politburo on strengthening the Party's leadership on social and health insurance for the period 2012-2020; Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW dated May 23, 2018 of the 12th Central Executive Committee on reforming social insurance policies, etc.

Determining that the involvement of Party committees and authorities at all levels is one of the key factors that determine the effectiveness of the implementation of policies on social and health insurance for employees and the people, over the past years, Vietnam Social Security (VSS) has always appreciated and enlisted the attention and support of the Party committees and local authorities. Following the direction of the VSS, the local social insurance agencies have actively coordinated with relevant departments, agencies and sectors to advise the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee to issue many documents, including directives on organization and implementation of policies on social and health insurance; especially solutions to develop social and health insurance in accordance with socio-economic characteristics of each locality. Specifically, it focuses on promulgating resolutions, and action plans to implement social, health and unemployment insurance policies in the locality; advising and proposing to put targets and plans on implementation of the roadmap of social, health and unemployment insurance into the local resolution, socio-economic development program; establishing and consolidating the Steering Committee for the implementation of policies on social and health insurance at all levels; has specific mechanisms and policies to provide additional support from the local budget for participants of voluntary social insurance and household health insurance beyond the levels prescribed by the State; directing and promoting the roles and responsibilities of departments, agencies and sectors in the organization and implementation of social and health insurance policies in the locality to ensure the completion of the set objectives; etc.

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Synchronization from direction to execution

In order to fulfill the targets and tasks assigned by the Party and State, along with the active advisory work of the social security agency, over the years, the implementation of social and health insurance policies in localities have always received the attention and direction of the Party Committees, authorities and the coordination and consensus of relevant departments, agencies and sectors in the locality.

By the end of 2022, 63 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide have consolidated and established a Steering Committee for the implementation of policies on social, health and unemployment insurance in the area. 56 provinces have included social insurance coverage targets and 61 provinces have included health insurance coverage targets in the Resolution on socio-economic development in their localities. In particular, many provinces have provided additional support from the local budget for participants of voluntary social insurance and self-paying health insurance outside the support of the State.

Specifically, in 2022, 13/63 provinces provided additional support for participants of voluntary social insurance; 57/63 provinces provided additional support from 10-30% of health insurance premiums for participants from near-poor households; 27/63 provinces supported people working in agriculture, forestry, fishery and salt production with average living standards to participate in household health insurance with different levels (3%, 10%, 15%, 20%-70%); 24/63 provinces supported people from multidimensionally poor households to participate in health insurance with different levels; 28/63 provinces provided additional support for students participating in health insurance at various levels (3%, 5%, 10%-30%); 19/63 provinces supported people participating in household health insurance with the rate of 20-30%.

It can be affirmed that, with the participation of the whole political system, social and health insurance policies have come into life and promoted positive effects. Accordingly, the coverage of social and health insurance is increasingly expanded. The number of compulsory social insurance participants has increased from 2.3 million in 1995 to over 16.5 million in 2021 (7.2 times higher). The number of voluntary social insurance participants increases from 6,000 people in 2008 to 1.45 million people in 2021 (241.7 times higher). The number of unemployment insurance participants increases from nearly 6 million people in 2009 to 13.4 million people in 2021 (2.24 times higher). The number of health insurance participants increases from 7.1 million people in 1995 to 88.8 million people in 2021 (12.5 times higher), reaching a coverage rate of 91.01% of the population.

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In particular, in 2022, the passing of the Covid-19 pandemic has left a great number of difficulties and challenges, especially in the industry's participant development. However, with the determination to turn those into a driving force for action, the whole Industry has closely followed reality and taken good advantage of the leadership and direction of the Government and the Prime Minister; proactively coordinated with ministries, departments, branches, party committees and local authorities to promptly provide solutions for management appropriately and flexibly. Therefore, despite extremely difficult implementation conditions, the coverage targets all increased compared to 2021, completing the targets assigned in Resolution No. 01 of the Government. Specifically, the number of social insurance participants is estimated at 17.5 million people, accounting for 38.07% of the labor force in age; the number of unemployment insurance participants is estimated at over 14.3 million people, accounting for 31.18% of the labor force in age; the number of health insurance participants is estimated at over 91.1 million people, reaching the coverage rate of 92.03% of the population.

In order to continue to strive to achieve the goal of social insurance and universal health insurance as set forth in the Resolutions of the National Assembly and the Government, in the coming time, the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies will continue to require stronger participation of the Party committees and local authorities, contributing to the consolidation and creation of high unity in leadership, direction and high consensus of society in the implementation of social and health insurance policies./.