On the morning of December 8, at the Government headquarters, PM Pham Minh Chinh worked with the VSS on the performance of functions, tasks and powers in the past time and orientations in the near future.

Also attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Le Minh Khai, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phuc, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Hau A Lenh, Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son.

The PM requested, to be deeply, fully and comprehensively aware of the role of social security in the socialist-oriented market economy - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The VSS's report and the comments at the meeting stated that the social security industry has achieved outstanding results in participating in the development of insurance policies and laws; settlement and payment of insurance regimes and policies; financial management, fund investment; inspection, testing; administrative reform; digital conversion, etc.

In particular, the number of social insurance participants has increased compared to the plan assigned by the PM, especially voluntary social insurance, exceeding the target set out in the Central Resolution (in the last 2 years, it has tripled compared to the 10-year period 2008-2018); Health insurance basically completed the goal of universal coverage, reaching the goal ahead of time compared to the goal set out in the Resolution of the Central Government.

By the end of November 2021, the number of social insurance participants continued to grow compared to 2020, reaching 16,202 million people (an increase of 38.7 thousand), voluntary social insurance reached nearly 1.3 million, reaching 2.6% labor force of farmer age and informal sector workers (over 1.6% of the assigned target); 88 million people participated in health insurance, reaching more than 90% of the population.

Special attention has been paid to digital transformation, helping to improve the efficiency of many aspects of the operation of the VSS. The industry has built and completed a database of more than 98 million people, which is the foundation of the national insurance database.

The combination of traditional and electronic methods for inspection, examination and supervision helps to increase efficiency, quality, reduce human resources, and time for inspection, reducing the number of inspections and examinations, yet detecting and handling more violations. From 2017 until now, more than 9,359 billion VND has been refused to conduct payment and reduced in health insurance fund spending.

Procedures for handling policies to support employees and employers are shortened from 5 days to only 1 working day. In particular, the VSS has made a lot of efforts in supporting people and businesses in the context of the epidemic.

Giving some recommendations and proposals at the meeting, the VSS set a target that by the end of 2025, the number of social insurance participants will be 23.1 million, reaching 45% of the labor force in the age group; 18 million participants in unemployment insurance , accounting for 35% of the labor force in age; The number of health insurance participants is 95 million, covering 95% of the population.

Concluding the meeting, Chinh assessed the VSS's report and the comments as responsible, enthusiastic, practical, and the proposals and recommendations were transparent at the meeting. Highly agreeing with the comments, the PM acknowledged, praised and highly appreciated the efforts and efforts of the VSS in performing the assigned functions, tasks and powers, especially in the implementation of Resolution No. 28 of the 12th Central Committee on reforming social insurance policies.

The PM asked the social security industry to focus on doing better digital transformation and building and connecting databases; improving management capacity and level in the direction of modernity, enhancing application of information technology - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

However, the comments at the meeting also clearly stated that a number of provisions of policies and laws on social, unemployment and health insurance during the implementation process have revealed shortcomings and need to continue to be adjusted and supplemented. The growth rate of participants in social, unemployment and health insurance is slow; the rate of participants in voluntary social insurance is low compared to the potential; The number of people applying for one-time social insurance benefits tends to increase; the situation of abuse, profiteering, late payment, evasion of payment, arrears of insurance still occurs. The settlement of regimes and benefits for employees remains still difficult when the enterprise owes social and health insurance but is dissolved or goes bankrupt, the foreign owner flees because there is no mechanism to deal with the debts of this enterprise. The management of the health insurance fund is difficult due to mechanisms and policies.

Another big orientation is to closely follow 3 main pillars of social security, including risk prevention, risk reduction and risk mitigation; also to respect reality, stick to reality, initiate from reality, take practice as a measure; to be flexible and proactive to advise and propose competent authorities solutions to effectively handle posed problems.

Regarding specific work, the PM suggested that it is necessary to focus on perfecting institutions, developing strategies and plans; in the context of limited resources and time, complicated situation, facing numerous difficulties, it is a must to have high determination and effort; to act decisively, effectively. The PM noted that it is possible to set up a working group to review the problems of mechanisms, policies and laws on social, unemployment and health insurance to propose and advise the competent authorities.

Regarding Party building, organization of cadre, apparatus, and payroll, it is mandatory to thoroughly grasp and strictly comply with the Party's regulations, the Resolutions of the 4th plenary session of the 11th, 12th Party Central Committee, and the Conclusion of the 4th plenary session of the 13th Party Central Committee on Party building and rectification; Resolutions No. 18, 19 on organization and apparatus, Resolution No. 26 on building cadres, etc. The PM emphasized that building a contingent of qualified, capable and reputable cadres at the same level of duties is of decisive significance.

General Director of VSS Nguyen The Manh delivered reports at the meeting

The PM also requested to review and develop a roadmap to effectively overcome the shortcomings and limitations; focus on improving the effectiveness of communication so that people will understand, be aware, believe, listen, follow and work in the implementation of social insurance policies.

The PM assigned the functional agencies to summarize the recommendations of the VSS, propose the competent authorities to solve according to their functions, tasks, powers with the common spirit to support, avoid work jam, solve difficulties and obstacles, improve capacity, create better conditions for the VSS, putting the national interests first and foremost.

According to Chinhphu.vn