The conference was chaired by Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Insurance Tran Dinh Lieu.

Reporting at the conference, Duong Van Hao, Director of Department of Contribution Collection – Insurance Book and Card, said that as of June 3, 2022, there were 16.74 million people participating in social insurance, an increase of 193,8000 people compared to the end of 2021.

The number of people participating in voluntary social insurance totalled over 1.3 million, an increase of 170,900 compared to the same period last year.

Regarding health insurance, the number of participants was 86.258 million, an increase of 404,400 compared to the previous month, but a decrease of 2.578 million compared to the end of 2021 and a decrease of 1.466 million compared to the same period last year. Regarding insurance premium collection and accumulation from the beginning of this year, the total revenue reached about 37.8 per cent of the plan assigned by the Government, an increase of VND2.382 billion compared to the same period in 2021.

Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Insurance Tran Dinh Lieu speaks at the Conference.

In addition to the positive results, limitations remained due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The application of the voluntary social insurance premium rate according to the new poverty line, along with the impacts of Decision 861/QD-TTg, make it difficult to attract people to join voluntary social insurance and household health insurance. The number of participants in voluntary social insurance and household health insurance decreased sharply compared to the end of 2021, Hao said.

He suggested that the social insurance agencies of the provinces and cities be more proactive in implementing and assigning social insurance and health insurance targets at the commune level.

Currently, only 30 localities have implemented this work.

“There are about 17 million potential people participating in voluntary social insurance and household health insurance. Local social insurance agencies need to constantly review and update the data of this group and boost communication to attract their participation," said Hao.

Effectively implement the development of participants in voluntary social insurance and household health insurance

VSS issued documents directing and guiding many contents related to collection management and development of participants of voluntary social insurance and household health insurance. The most important is the new regulation managing the activities of service organisations collecting social and health insurance, which was issued according to Decision No 1155/QD-BHXH dated May 12, 2022 of Vietnam Social Security (replacing Decision No 1599/QD-BHXH dated October 28, 2016).

Duong Van Hao reported on the collection and development of social insurance and health insurance participants.

Regarding the organisation of customer conferences, following the instructions in Official Letter No 1108/BHXH-TST dated April 28, 2022 of Vietnam Social Security, the social insurance agency will act as the implementing organisation (previously done by the post office). However, with the current human resources conditions, the social insurance agency needs to closely coordinate with the collection service organisations to deploy; make monthly and quarterly plans, and assign staff to perform the work effectively.

People attend the online conference

"Social insurance agencies of provinces and cities direct district social insurance agencies, departments and officers to uphold the sense of responsibility, actively and carefully study the contents of new guiding documents to effectively implement them," said Hao.

At the conference, social insurance agencies of provinces and cities also discussed, analysed and clarified the situation of collection and development of social insurance and health insurance. They also paid attention to implementing new regulations on the management of activities of service organisations collecting social insurance and health insurance.

Director of Bac Giang Social Security Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen affirmed her determination to effectively implement the new regulations.

The local social insurance agencies would advise the Provincial Party Committees and the Provincial People's Committees to issue and direct the implementation of the new regulations, she said.

In Thua Thien Hue Province, Deputy Director of the provincial Social Security Nguyen Xuan Tieu said that the province will try to transfer collection agency staff in wards, communes and townships to continue operating and collaborating with service organisations.

In Gia Lai, Director of the provincial Social Security Tran Van Luc said that the mountainous province in the Central Highlands found it difficult to find and call on service organisations to participate in collecting voluntary social insurance and household health insurance.

"The provincial social insurance agency will work specifically with Viettel Gia Lai to improve the efficiency of this organisation's collection activities. Along with that, the provincial social insurance agency will hold meetings to publicise the new policy of Vietnam Social Security, and mobilise the old collection agency employees to continue to stick with the collection and development of voluntary social insurance participants.”

Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen, Director of Bac Giang Social Security speaks at the conference.

Director of HCM City Social Security Phan Van Men suggested that Vietnam Social Security consider allowing an extension of the transition time between the old and new regulations.

“In HCM City, there are more than 300 collection agents of wards and communes out of a total of about 500 collection agents, so the transition process needs more time. The City Social Security will propose the City Party Committee and the City People's Committee to direct the People's Committees of districts and cities to ensure consistency," he said, adding that the social security agency would actively work with collection service organisations including the Post Office, Viettel and PVI to develop a specific implementation plan.

Synchronous and drastic solutions

Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security Tran Dinh Lieu directed the social insurance agencies of provinces and cities to focus on drastic solutions.

Accordingly, regarding compulsory social insurance, the social insurance agency must organise a conference to meet businesses, instructing them on the implementation of collection of social insurance and health insurance.

Emphasising the responsibility to pay social insurance and health insurance by enterprises, he said in the next three months, insurance agencies must work with businesses in the area.

With the voluntary social insurance group, the provincial social insurance agency must promote customer conferences.

Overview of the conference.

It is necessary to carefully review the groups of potential social insurance participants.

With the implementation of new documents related to the collection and development of participants of voluntary social insurance and household health insurance, Deputy General Director Tran Dinh Lieu requested units to really innovate their thinking and ways to approach potential insurance participants.

“Regarding the service on collecting insurance premiums, it is necessary to foster and train employees who are responsible for collecting voluntary social insurance and household health insurance," Lieu said./.