Actively support labourers, enterprises

Addressing the working session, Director of Hanoi Social Security Nguyen Duc Hoa said the pandemic is showing complicated developments in Hanoi. On July 24, the capital city began social distancing measures. Accordingly, Hanoi Social Security has been strictly implementing measures in the fight against COVID-19. These include social and health insurance policies, especially those to support employees and employers in accordance with the Government’s Resolution No 68/NQ-CP. Hanoi Social Security has promulgated guidelines to execute VSS’ and the Ministry of Health’s instructions regarding the payment of medical check-up and treatment and testing related to COVID-19; and co-ordinated with the Hanoi health department to deal with any problems to ensure the benefits of social and health insurance participants. Hanoi Social Security also accelerated the application of information technology to better serve people.

The first half of 2021 witnessed an additional 295,869 participants in the social security system over the same period last year, with total coverage up to 90.4 per cent of the city’s population. Total insurance premium in the period was VND23.3 trillion, a rise of VND1.6 trillion over the same period of 2020, fulfilling 45.3 per cent of the target set by VSS.

Nevertheless, weaknesses still exist due to the COVID-19 pandemic as enterprises encountered difficulties in production and business activities, particularly enterprises in the tourism and trade sectors, which caused many establishments to delay the payment of social insurance premiums.

Illustrative image (source: internet)

Regarding the payment of medical expenses for check-up and treatment services related to COVID-19 as guided by the health ministry, COVID-19 treatment expenses for those with health insurance cards will be covered by the State, while other related expenses will be paid by the health insurance fund. Nevertheless, it is difficult to define certain expenses, for example, expenses spent on hospital beds, preclinical tests, blood tests, and urine tests in the treatment of COVID-19 disease from that of other illnesses.

The director of Hanoi Social Security recommends the health ministry introduce detailed instructions to define expenses for COVID-19 with specific cases; Hanoi People’s Committee directs the city Department of Education and Training and People’s Committees of districts and townships to make sure 100 per cent of students and pupils in the city have health insurance coverage. In the meantime, departments of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and Finance study and support voluntary social insurance contributions for participants in the voluntary social insurance system 10 per cent higher than stipulated. The Department of Health instructs the implementation of medical check-up and treatment at home or in quarantine or locked down areas for health insurance participants who suffer illnesses or other chronic diseases which were previously carried out at medical facilities.

Resolute to address difficulties

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung said social and health insurance are two key policies in the social security system, to which Hanoi authorities have paid due attention. However, challenges in the future, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic, are unforeseeable. Therefore, it is necessary to build a strong social insurance system.

“To that end, it requires joint efforts of Party Committees at all levels, People’s Committees of all districts and townships as well as the active, proactive and effective coordination of sectors, departments and organisations in the city,” said Dung.

Thus, Hanoi People’s Committee suggested Hanoi Social Security focus on solving shortcomings, particularly the outstanding debt issue; and to proactively work with competent units, departments, sectors and localities to ensure targets set for 2021. In addition, Hanoi Social Security should strengthen the inspection of units with outstanding debts, evading the payment of social insurance premiums. “We must be proactive in inspections to stop any possible situations, resolutely handling administrative violations to ensure the rights of employees,” said Dung.

On the occasion, the Hanoi deputy chairman recommended VSS further facilitate Hanoi Social Security to help the latter fulfil assigned tasks, contributing to political stability and social order and security in the capital city; at the same time, help remove difficulties and consider adjusting the calculation of the total payment of medical expenses in accordance with the actual costs of 2019 and 2020 at healthcare facilities applying health insurance in the city. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, VSS should continue providing guidance and facilitate mechanisms and policies so that people and enterprises in the city can enjoy maximum benefits.

“Hanoi Social Security has actively promoted the application of VssID-Digital Social Insurance which was launched at the right time, thus, received positive feedback from users. Therefore, VSS should continue facilitating social security agencies in Hanoi and other localities to digitise other daily tasks. Hanoi would like to propose the payment of pensions and social insurance benefits for September and October at the same time as September’s salary payment to ensure the prevention and control of COVID-19,” said Dung.

VSS Director General Manh spoke highly of Hanoi’s implementation of Government instructions in line with Resolution No 68/NQ-CP and Decision No 23/2021/QĐ-TTg. “Hanoi has proactively and quickly assisted and provided favourable conditions for enterprises based in the city in the implementation of policies supporting employees and employers affected by COVID-19. Hanoi also took the lead in providing support for reduced contributions to the Labour Accident and Occupational Disease Insurance Fund. Such practices at the time being are precious,” said Manh.

He said that VSS has always stood side by side with ministries, sectors and localities in the fight against COVID-19; and considered this a key task of the social security sector. The whole sector has quickly and resolutely assisted labourers and enterprises suffering from the impacts of COVID-19 in line with the Government’s Resolution No 68/NQ-CP, such as: establishment of a steering committee, promulgation of related documents; establishment of inspection teams to examine the implementation of the Resolution in 19 localities in the south, and so on.

Reiterating the Government’s “dual goals”, Manh said shortcomings related to impacts of COVID-19 have initially been solved, facilitating people, so as policies supporting employees and employers in the implementation of the Government’s Resolution No 68/NQ-CP and Prime Minister’s Decision No 23/2021/QĐ-TTg. “However, to achieve a satisfactory outcome, we need to reinforce the direction and instructions to address existing weaknesses and attach importance to the implementation at grassroots levels,” said Manh.

Regarding recommendations from Hanoi, the VSS Director General requested the capital city’s authorities instruct departments, sectors and localities to closely coordinate with Hanoi Social Security to implement social and health insurance policies, through which strengthening social security in the capital city.

Hanoi Social Security needs to have a rapid response to deal with new problems arising to guarantee maximum benefits for social and health insurance participants. In the future, it is expected that advantages and challenges will interweave, thus, it requires greater efforts and determination to have effective implementation.

“With assigned tasks, you should all understand that rights and benefits of the people are the top priority. Therefore, we need to unite and work together to solve difficulties and obstacles to ensure the social security targets set by the Party and State,” said the VSS Director General./.