1. The Vietnam’s Social Insurance Industry has exceeded the assigned tasks and targets and made achievements to welcome the 13th National Party Congress.

In 2020, in the context of common difficulties caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and consecutive storms and floods in the Central Highlands, causing a profound and comprehensive impact on all aspects of socio-economic life, responding to the call of the Party, the Government, and the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) have unified the will and action, drastically and effectively implemented solutions, continuously innovated and successfully completed the task targets set by the Party and the Government.

The social insurance coverage was expanded with more than 16.1 million participants, reaching 32.6% of the workforce in the age group, of which the number of voluntary social insurance participants was nearly 1.1 million, up 90% compared to 2019, an increase of 1.2% compared to the target set in the Resolution No. 28 of the Party and 5 times higher than that of 2015; The number of people participating in health insurance is about 88 million, accounting for 90.85% of the population, exceeding 0.15% of the target set in Government's Resolution No. 01, an increase of 25.6% compared to 2015.

In particular, the health insurance coverage has an impressive growth: Compared to the target of the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and the Politburo's Resolution No. 21 exceeded 10.85%. With this coverage rate, Vietnam has basically completed its universal goal of health insurance and reached the goal ahead of schedule. Compared to developed countries in the world, it takes 40 to 80 years to reach the universal health insurance target, whereas it is 17 years for Vietnam.

Achieving the above outstanding results in the commonly difficult conditions of the country, it once again affirms the determination and continuous efforts of all civil servants and employees of the entire Vietnam's Social Insurance industry. These are the practical actions of the Vietnamese social insurance industry to welcome the 13th National Party Congress.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam delivered a speech and directed at the online conference to deploy 2021 tasks

2. Ensuring the interests of policy beneficiaries and participants is implemented accurately, promptly, flexibly and conveniently.

Ensuring the interests of participants and beneficiaries of social insurance and health insurance is identified as one of the key tasks and is implemented accurately, promptly, flexibly and conveniently by the Industry.

In particular, in 2020, in the face of the complicated situation of epidemics and natural disasters, to ensure the best interests of policy beneficiaries and participants, the Vietnam's Social Insurance industry is always concerned about, closely monitors the actual situation and promptly implemented flexible solutions in settlement and payment of social insurance and health insurance regimes.

In the conditions of social distancing and isolation due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Vietnamese social insurance industry has cooperated with relevant ministries and agencies to implement flexible solutions in settling and paying social insurance and health insurance benefits such as: paying pension at home, flexibility in referral to medical examination and treatment under health insurance, provision of drugs covered by health insurance for people with chronic diseases, suspension of contributions to the retirement and survivorship allowance fund for businesses facing difficulties due to the epidemic following the Prime Minister's Directive, etc.

In the context of consecutive storms and floods in the Central Highlands, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has directed the social security offices of 10 provinces and cities to closely follow the situation, promptly visits, grasp the situation and ensure the best interests for participants; Especially, people with health insurance cards in these provinces can use the image of the health insurance card on the VssID application to replace the paper health insurance card for medical examination and treatment under the health insurance.

Guidance for installation of VssID application

In 2020, Vietnam's social insurance industry has settled nearly 134,000 new monthly beneficiaries of social insurance; nearly 9.6 million people enjoy the benefits of sickness, maternity, recuperation and health rehabilitation, increasing by 27.1% compared to 2015; more than 1 million people enjoy unemployment benefits, an increase of 91.2% compared to 2015; etc. The monthly pension and benefits for over 3.2 million people have been maintained to be paid (in which: cash payment for nearly 2.5 million people; payment for over 700 thousand people through personal accounts).

While the average health insurance premium contribution in our country is only about 1.1 million VND (equaling one third compared to regional countries like the Philippines and one fourth compared to Thailand), but the amount of expenses from the health insurance fund given to the participants always accounts for a high proportion regarding the cost of medical examination and treatment. During the year, the health insurance fund paid out medical care costs covered by the health insurance for nearly 167.3 million people, an increase of 28.4% compared to 2015.

3. Vietnam's Social Insurance Industry announced "VssID application - Digital Social Insurance" on the mobile device platform.

Over the past years, the Vietnamese social insurance industry has always received the attention, leadership and direction of the Government, direct from the Prime Minister, as well as the active coordination of ministries, agencies and localities in the implementation of regimes and policies on social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance. Along with that, the whole industry has also made great efforts in reforming administrative procedures and applying IT in professional activities; looked up and integrated solutions with the goal of providing more and more services and utilities for participants and enjoying social insurance and health insurance regimes and policies.

After a period of active research, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has built its application on mobile devices for individuals ('VssID - Digital Social Insurance' for short). Initially deployed, to help people easily access and use, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has provided the most basic functions and utilities, such as: Monitoring the participation process, the history of enjoying regimes and policies on social insurance and health insurance; looking up information about social insurance codes, social insurance agencies and over 12,000 health establishments nationwide and collection sites and collection agents. Also through this application, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has provided information and supported 24/7 services such as: A feedback system at the website "Social insurance for people and businesses" at: baohiemxahoi.gov.vn; support switchboard (1900 9068); email support; with the bank of frequently asked questions, etc.

The implementation of the VssID application is also a crucial step for the Vietnam's social insurance industry to realize the goals and tasks of building electronic health insurance cards and electronic social insurance books assigned in the Law on Social Insurance and Health Insurance. At the same time, in the coming time, the Industry will continue to research and integrate public services and online payment utilities for individuals on the application to ensure the performance of transactions with social insurance agencies anywhere and anytime; thereby, contributing to building the image of a modern and professional social insurance industry for the satisfaction of organizations and individuals, etc.

The VssID application officially launched

VssID works on smartphones or tablets of Android 4.1 or iOS 9.0 and above. Users can access these 2 application stores, look up the keyword "VssID" and perform the same steps to download and install as other applications. Once installed, users may start the application by pressing the app's icon on the mobile device screen.

Users must have an electronic transaction account of social insurance with the social insurance agency to log in and use the features and utilities of the application. Accordingly, in order to login and use the functions and utilities of the application, users need to register an electronic transaction account with the social insurance agency. To register an electronic transaction account with the social insurance agency, users can access the link https://dichvucong.baohiemxahoi.gov.vn/#/dang-ky and follow the instructions (insert the correct phone number to confirm registration information and OTP codes for future transactions).

Up to now, there have been nearly 300,000 installations to use the VssID application. The application has been received and appreciated by a great number of employees; considered as a close companion throughout the process of participating in and enjoying social insurance and health insurance.

In the coming time, the Vietnam's social insurance industry will continue to research and implement integration of public services and online payment utilities on the VssID application, etc. so that people can transact with the social insurance agency anywhere and anytime.

4. The Vietnamese social insurance industry has completed the provision of level 4 public services.

Performing the tasks assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has actively implemented online public services. On December 15, 2020, the Vietnam's social insurance industry issued Document No. 3968/BHXH-IT to additionally deploy 9 online level 4 public services for organizations and individuals on the industry's public service portal. Accordingly, the Vietnamese social insurance industry has completed the provision of level 4 services for all administrative procedures of the sector.

This event has a significant meaning and brings many benefits to people and businesses, is highly appreciated by the Government and the Prime Minister, recognized and supported by the people and businesses. People only need a computer or smart phone connected to the Internet to perform services of the Vietnam's social insurance industry anywhere and anytime, helping to save time and travelling expenses for people and enterprises in transactions with the social insurance agencies.

In addition, the Vietnamese social insurance industry has actively integrated and provided fifteen level 4 public services of the industry, and linked services with ministries and branches on the National Public Service Portal (NPSP). It is expected that in the first quarter of 2021, the provision and connection of 100% of level 4 public services of the Industry on the NPSP will be completed.

Illustrative image (source: Internet)

As of December 23, 2020, Vietnam's social insurance industry has received and processed more than 9,000 online transactions on the NPSP, in which: Received and re-issued health insurance cards due to damage or loss for 2,616 cases; 5,859 successful online payment transactions (renewal payment of household-based health insurance cards for 4,022 cases; further payment of voluntary social insurance of 1,706 cases; payment of compulsory social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance of 131 cases); received and processed 916 applications for support due to the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. The public service of re-issuing health insurance cards due to damage or loss; continuing to pay voluntary social insurance, renewing household-based health insurance cards, online payment of voluntary social insurance contributions, etc. are the most performed level 4 services.

The completion of the provision of Level 4 services is one of the outstanding achievements, demonstrating the efforts of the Vietnamese social insurance industry in the reform of administrative procedures and IT application towards building a Vietnam's social insurance industry that is modern, professional and better serves people with practical and friendly benefits.

5. On August 4, 2020, the Government issued Decree No. 89/2020/ND-CP defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Vietnamese social insurance industry.

In implementation of Decree No. 89/2020/ND-CP dated August 4, 2020 of the Government defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Vietnam Social Security, the General Director of Vietnam Social Security signed the issue of Plan No. 2775 dated August 12th, 2020, which requires to complete the processes and procedures by October 1, 2020 for the structured and organized units according to the Decree 89 to operate from October 1, 2020. After nearly 2 months of implementation, despite the heavy workload, with the close direction of the General Director and Deputy General Directors as well as the high sense of responsibility of the affiliated units, up to now, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has basically completed the tasks set out according to the plan.

With a view to ensuring the organizational structure of the social insurance industry to be streamlined, professional, modern, efficient and effective and improving the satisfaction of people as well as subjects participating in social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance; in accordance with the Party's guidelines and the State's laws on organizational structure and policies on social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance and the development orientations and strategies of the social insurance industry.

Decree No. 89/2020/ND-CP dated August 4, 2020 of the Government with many new amendments related to the organizational structure of the social insurance industry, specifically: For the organizational structure of Vietnam Social Security at the central level, 3 affiliated units were cut, from 24 to 21; establishment of a new Center of services and customer care support that has the function of settling online public services, promoting service quality and improving the satisfaction of people and businesses.

In implementation of Decree 89/2020/ND-CP of the Government, the General Director of Vietnam Social Security issued a decision to merge the Department of Contribution Collection and the Department of Social Insurance Book and Health Insurance Card into the Department of Contribution Collection – Insurance Book and Card (including 6 professional divisions); merging the Department of Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies and the Department of Health Insurance Implementation into the Department of Health Insurance Implementation (including 5 professional divisions); merging the Social Security Newspaper and Social Security Magazine into Social Security Magazine (including 5 divisions and equivalent); Establishment of Call Center (including 4 professional departments); renamed the Northern Center for Medical Review & Tertiary Care Payments to the Center for Medical Review & Tertiary Care Payments (including 5 divisions).

Announcement of the Decision on staff organization under Decree 89/2020/ND-CP

6. Towards the 13th National Party Congress and the 10th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, the Vietnam Social Security has successfully organized the following Congresses: The 7th Party Congress and the 5th National Patriotic Emulation Congress.

The Party Committee of Vietnam Social Security successfully organized the 7th National Party Congress of the term 2020-2025

With the motto "Solidarity, discipline, action, creativity, efficiency", the congress brought into play the collective strength, enhanced leadership capacity, fighting strength and the political nuclear role of party organizations, the exemplary pioneer role of the contingent of cadres and party members and successfully completed political tasks; striving to build the increasingly developing industry, contributing many achievements to the cause of social security of the Party and State and contributing to the renovation, construction and development of the country.

Promoting democracy and adhering to the regulations on election within the Party, at the Congress, delegates selected and elected the Party Executive Committee of the Vietnam Social Security for the term 2020-2025 including 26 qualified comrades according to regulations and structures, typical for more than 500 party members in the entire Party Committee, demonstrating continuity, inheritance and innovation. Accordingly, the Party Executive Committee of the Vietnam Social Security for the term 2020-2025 had the first meeting, and elected: the Party Standing Committee of the Vietnam Social Security for the term 2020-2025 including 06 comrades; Mr. Nguyen The Manh, General Director of Vietnam Social Security was elected as Party Secretary of the Vietnam Social Security for the term 2020-2025.

Delegates attending the meeting

Followingly, also in 2020, the Vietnamese social insurance industry successfully organized the 5th Vietnam Patriotic Emulation Congress of Vietnam Social Security.

The congress has summarized and evaluated the results and achievements of the patriotic emulation movement in the period 2015-2020, as well as praised the outstanding collectives and individuals representing 1,400 collectives in the industry.

The emulation movements were launched by the Vietnam's social insurance industry in a timely manner with practical content and were close to the actual situation at the agency, thereby making an important contribution to the completion of the targets and tasks of the whole Industry.

The emulation and commendation of the Vietnamese social insurance industry has been undergoing many positive innovations, truly becoming a driving force for collectives and individuals in the whole Industry to strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges and successfully achieve the assigned targets and tasks.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh delivered a speech to direct the 5th Vietnam National Emulation Congress of Vietnam Social Security

7. Continuing to promote administrative reform; enhance qualifications and skills; adjust the service style of the contingent of civil servants and employees of the entire Vietnam's social insurance industry.

With the motto of regarding the participants and policy beneficiaries of social insurance and health insurance as the service center, the Vietnamese social insurance industry always determines that administrative procedures reform is a regular and continuous task in order to reduce, simplify procedures, and bring IT into business processes, shortening processing time; publicly implement 27 out of 27 administrative procedures under the jurisdiction on the web portal of Vietnam Social Security and the National Public Service Portal. The results of administrative procedures have created advantages and saved time and costs for people and businesses.

Besides, the internal administrative reform has been promoted. Up to now, all the receiving documents of the Vietnam's social insurance industry have been digitized and processed via softwares across the industry, achieving the goal of paperless offices, saving printing and publishing costs of industry-wide documents.

In order to meet the increasingly high requirements in implementing the tasks, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has always promoted the training, retraining and skill improvement for the contingent of civil servants and public employees in the Industry; maintained discipline and drastically changed the working style from administration to service throughout the Industry.

Illustrative image

8. The Vietnam's social insurance Industry joins hands to prevent and combat the COVID-19 epidemic under the Directive of the Prime Minister; the whole country supports the people of Central Vietnam.

In 2020, in response to the call of the Party and the State, the entire Vietnam's social insurance industry has joined hands with the whole country to contribute to the COVID-19 epidemic prevention, overcoming difficulties caused by consecutive storms and floods in the Central Highlands.

In addition to making efforts to implement a series of flexible solutions to promptly ensure benefits for people participating in social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, all officials, civil servants, public employees and workers of the Industry have voluntarily contributed an amount of 2 billion VND to support the "COVID-19 Epidemic Prevention Fund".

Sharing the difficulties caused by storms and floods of the people of the Central Highlands, the Vietnam's social insurance industry has promptly implemented practical solutions such as: organizing voluntary donations with the amount of 1 VND billion to support people in the Central region affected by storms and floods; organizing 5 working groups led by the General Director and Deputy General Directors to visit, give presents and health insurance cards to people in areas damaged by storms and floods.

In particular, in order to provide practical support to the people in the context of the epidemic, storms and floods that profoundly impact their lives and health, in 2020, Vietnam's social insurance industry has gathered nearly 11.6 billion VND from the voluntary support of the collective of cadres, civil servants and public employees in the whole Industry and the support of donors and sponsors in 22 provinces and cities to promptly donate nearly 73.5 thousand of health insurance cards and 940 social insurance books for people in difficult circumstances in 22 localities, thereby contributing to deepening the tradition of mutual love of our country.

The General Director of Vietnam Social Security awarded health insurance cards to the people and representatives of communes in Hoa Vang District of Da Nang City

9. Responding to the month of campaigning for the implementation of universal social insurance under the Decision of the Prime Minister, the Vietnam's social insurance industry successfully held the launching ceremony nationwide.

According to the Scheme to comprehensively renovate the contents, forms and methods of social insurance propaganda just approved by the Government, May is chosen to implement the campaign month to deploy the universal social insurance. Thereby, attracting the attention of all classes of people to the social insurance policy.

Decision No. 1676/QD-TTg promulgates a Scheme to comprehensively renovate the contents, forms and methods of propaganda of social insurance, targeting all officials, party members and people in order to drastically change the awareness, thereby creating consensus in the process of building and implementing social insurance policies.

The Government's project clearly states that the comprehensive reform of the contents, forms and methods of social insurance propaganda is a consistent policy both in the short term and in the long term to ensure the improvement of propaganda quality, making an important contribution to the successful implementation of Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW dated May 23, 2018 of the seventh plenary session of the 12th Central Committee on social insurance policy reform (Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW). At the same time, the propaganda of social insurance must make the propagated subjects clearly understand the rights and benefits of participating in social insurance on the basis of appropriate, complete and profound awareness of the Party's undertakings and views and the State's policies and law on social insurance, thereby creating consensus and behavior change to develop beneficiaries of social insurance.

The Scheme also offers specific implementation solutions, in particular, emphasizes some notable content. First of all, to strengthen the leadership and direction of the communication and propaganda of social insurance. Next, May is the month of campaigning for the implementation of universal social insurance for the people. Annually, to organize monthly campaigns for the implementation of universal social insurance to attract the attention of all classes of people to the social insurance policy; to propagate and encourage people to participate in social insurance towards the goal of universal social insurance; to motivate and raise the sense of responsibility of employers in actively participating in social insurance for employees.

Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security Tran Dinh Lieu beat the drum at the launching ceremony in response to the Month of universal social insurance

10. Vietnam's Social Insurance Industry - 25 years of construction and development.

Over the past 25 years of establishment and development, Vietnam's social insurance industry has played a role as a main pillar of the social security system, implementing social progress and equity, ensuring socio-political stability and people's lives, sustainably developing the country, contributing to manifesting the good nature of our regime, contributing and bringing about encouraging social security results, which have been recognized by the international community.

It can be seen that Vietnam's social insurance industry, with the responsibility of maintaining social security and ensuring the country's sustainable development, has achieved a great number of significant results. First of all, a system of policies and laws on social insurance and health insurance has been increasingly completed, synchronous and consistent with the country's development process and international practices; the organizational model of the social insurance and health insurance system has been increasingly completed according to the Party's policy on reforming and streamlining the apparatus. The propaganda and dissemination of policies and laws on social insurance and health insurance have many innovations towards professionalism and efficiency, creating an obvious change in awareness and action of organizations and individuals about the roles, responsibilities as well as the aim and meaning of participating in social insurance and health insurance. Second, coverage of social insurance and health insurance has increasingly been expanded. By the end of 2019, the number of people participating in social insurance reached nearly 16 million (accounting for about 32.3% of the workforce); The number of people participating in health insurance reached nearly 86 million (accounting for 90% of the population). With this rate, Vietnam has basically completed the universal health insurance target and reached the target ahead of time compared to the target set out in Resolution No. 21. Compared to some developed countries in the world, it may take about 40 to 80 years to achieve the goal on universal health insurance mentioned above. Thirdly, the number of beneficiaries of social insurance and health insurance benefits is constantly increasing. On average, each year tens of millions of people have enjoyed the social insurance benefits and hundreds of millions of people enjoyed the health insurance benefits. Accordingly, the social insurance and health insurance fund has become the largest security fund; the rate of spending from social insurance fund is increasing; The percentage of spending from the state budget for social insurance is decreasing. The Vietnam's social insurance industry is one of the units with many achievements in administrative reform and IT application: three fourth of the number of administrative procedures has been cut (down from 263 to 27); has built a database and issued social insurance codes to 97 million people, making an important contribution to building digital government and providing online public services for the whole society, etc. Especially, the electronic health insurance assessment system has connected 100% of health care facilities and performed automatic assessment of health care costs covered by health insurance, helping the management and use of the health care fund of the health insurance to be public, transparent and effective.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc awarded the Government's Emulation Flag to the Vietnam Social Security

Every success starts with the proper vision. To review the achievements after 25 years of construction and development, the Vietnam's social insurance industry organized a nationwide teleconference "25-year implementation of social and health insurance policies; Solutions for executing Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW and tasks for 2020” and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and directed the Conference.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc congratulated and recognized outstanding achievements in the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies of the Vietnam's Social Insurance industry over the past 25 years, making a great contribution to the implementation of social progress and justice, ensuring socio-political stability, the people's lives, and sustainable development of the country.

The social insurance fund has become the largest security fund, operating on the principle of payment and enjoyment and sharing among employees of the same generation and among generations participating in social insurance. The number of people participating in social insurance and health insurance is increasingly expanding, exceeding the goal of universal health insurance coverage in the spirit of the Politburo's Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW and towards universal coverage of social insurance in the spirit of Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW of the 12th Party Central Committee ./.