Tasks done amid challenges

During the working session, Director of Binh Dinh Social Security office Vo Nam presented a report on the implementation of social security policy in the first six months of 2023. Accordingly, by June 13, Binh Dinh had 128,942 people joining the compulsory social insurance regime, reaching 92.17 per cent of the target set by VSS, up 3,694 people (an increase of 2.95 per cent) compared to the same period previous year. The number of labourers joining the voluntary social insurance scheme was  15,822, reaching 71.57 per cent of the set target, down 2,550 people (equal to 13.88 per cent) against the same period previous year; the number of unemployment insurance participants reached 119,165, equivalent to 89.56 per cent of the yearly target, an increase of 3,808 people (equal to 3.30 per cent) year on year; and the number of health insurance participants was 1,416,248, covering 94.47 per cent of the total local population, equal to 97.57 per cent of the set target.

 Director of Binh Dinh Social Security office Vo Nam presents a report on social security work in the first six months of 2023

In the period, the province settled social insurance and unemployment insurance benefits for 27,131 and 4,828 participants respectively; managed the payment of monthly social insurance allowance for 31,510 people; and reviewed the payment of health insurance-based medical examination and treatment costs for 1,092,840 people (including 104,990 inpatients and 987,850 outpatients). The total amount of social insurance and health insurance allowance paid was over VND1.9 trillion, in which VND1.39 trillion paid for social insurance benefits whilst the rest covered health insurance-based medical costs.

The Director of Binh Dinh Social Security office said the number of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance participants, especially compulsory social insurance participants, tends to decrease, mostly because of difficulties facing enterprises, particularly those operating in the leather footwear, wood processing, and garment and textile industries due to conflicts in certain countries; pandemic; price hike and inflation; among others, which has led to the increase in the delayed payment of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance premiums, unstable jobs lower income for employees. These make it harder for employees to join the social insurance and health insurance regimes in general, and voluntary and self-paid health insurance regimes in particular. Some large-sized businesses had to lay off a large number of employees, such as Binh Dinh Footwear Joint Stock Company has cut 1,286 employees from 1,324 so far this year; Phu Tai Joint Stock Company has dismissed 523 labourers from 2,565 from the beginning of the year; or Hung Phat Manufacturing Trading Service Joint Stock Company currently maintains only five labourers, down from 390 from the beginning of the year.

Under such circumstances, the provincial Social Security office has worked closely with relevant departments and sectors to recommend the provincial Party Committee, People’s Committee and People’s Council to introduce documents to lead and direct the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies in the locality. The Director of the Social Security office also joined the working visits to businesses by the provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee to fully understand their operations and help untie difficulties and obstacles facing them in implementing social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance policies.

Additionally, the Social Security office reported to the provincial People’s Committee establishments that have delayed the payment of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance premiums from three months to have measures to deal with those that intentionally violate regulations related to occupation and of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance.

Illustrative image (VSS)

The office recommended the People’s Committee to propose the People’s Council to pass a Resolution, in which near-poor households are expected to get a 30 per cent financial support for the payment of health insurance premiums (currently the near-poor households enjoy 70 per cent support from the State budget and 15 per cent from the local budget) and households involved in agricultural, forestry, fishery and sale production with average living standard will be entitled to a 30 per cent financial support for the payment of health insurance premiums (currently they are entitled to a 30 per cent support from the State budget). The regulations are expected to take effect soon after the Resolution is approved at the 11th sitting of the provincial People’s Council.

The office continues to work with the provincial Department of Health to strengthen the supervision of health insurance-covered medical costs; carry out regular reviews as stipulated in the Decision No 3618/QĐ-BHXH dated December 12, 2022 by the VSS General Director; and well supervise health insurance-covered medical costs and effectively manage the health insurance fund, ensuring sufficient source to timely cover health insurance participants’ medical costs.

Uphold local strengths to resolve to fulfil tasks

Addressing the working session, VSS Deputy General Director Chu Manh Sinh acknowledged and appraised achievements that the Binh Dinh Social Security office has yielded in the first half of 2023.

Deputy General Director Chu Manh Sinh delivers a remark at the working session

He said amid difficulties in expanding compulsory social insurance regime, Binh Dinh Social Security office should identify the potential groups of voluntary social insurance participants to increase communication and mobilisation; propose the provincial authorities to have financial support for the payment of voluntary social insurance premiums to encourage more locals to join the regime; accelerate the implementation of Project 06 (the so-called Decision No 06/QD-TTG dated January 6, 2022 by the Prime Minister approving the Scheme on developing the application of data on population, identification, electronic authentication for national digital transformation in the 2022-25 period, with a vision to 2030) to synchronise and authenticate citizen information (database) between the national database on social security with the national database on population; and continue upholding the tradition of solidarity, disciplines and attitudes to serve the people. The Deputy General Director said he believed that with set orientations and strong determination, the provincial Social Security office will successfully realise targets and tasks set by VSS in 2023.