Moving one step ahead

Presenting a report at the meeting, Director of the IT Center Le Nguyen Bong assessed, in terms of digital transformation, Vietnam's social insurance industry is basically one step ahead, but we need to continue to review to improve and follow the roadmaps of the Industry's Plan on IT application and digital transformation for the period of 2021-2025. In which, in addition to the task of assigning the IT Center to continue researching digital transformation technologies, the Departments need to coordinate more closely to equip themselves professionally and legally for digital transformation activities with or without precedent to accelerate the digital transformation process; especially during the pandemic, social distancing is an opportunity for the industry's "utility products" to quickly reach the people and will certainly be welcomed and accepted by the people to ensure safety and convenience.

In building the National Insurance Database, up to now, VSS has issued the Decision to implement Decree No. 43/2021/ND-CP dated March 31, 2021 of the Government regulating the National Insurance Database.

In particular, the VSS has reviewed and standardized the specialized databases of the Industry to provide the National Insurance Database with the information specified in Article 6 of Decree No. 43/2021/ND-CP; promoted coordination with relevant ministries and branches to synchronize and complete the database.

Recently, the VSS has sent an official dispatch to the local social security agencies requesting coordination in sharing data from the National Insurance Database through the NGSP axis of the Ministry of Information and Communications to serve the urgent needs of the Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control, pending the promulgation of standards. In the coming time, the VSS will advise the Government and ministries to speed up the progress and complete the National Insurance Database.

Illustrative image (source: internet)

The Plan to upgrade and add "breakthrough" features on the VssID application

One of the industry's "highlights" in the digital transformation plan is VssID - the Digital Social Insurance application. Since its launch in November 2020, the application has been constantly improved and upgraded. Currently, the application has various features and utilities to flexibly serve the essential information needs of participants and beneficiaries of social and health insurance policies such as: Providing information about health insurance cards; the process of participating in social insurance, unemployment insurance, occupational accident and disease insurance and health insurance; information on lump-sum allowance (sickness, maternity, occupational accident and disease); The medical report book provides the participant's treatment history, etc.

Also, VssID also provides lookup utilities: Social insurance code; social security agencies; medical facilities that sign contracts for medical treatment under health insurance; medical facilities that issue leave certificates to enjoy social insurance benefits; units participating in social insurance; collection sites and collection agencies for voluntary social insurance and household-based health insurance; re-issuance of health insurance cards due to damage or loss; relocate to enjoy pensions and social insurance benefits; change the form of receipt or information of social insurance beneficiaries, etc.

In order to continue to improve the quality of users, especially during the epidemic situation, Director of IT Center Le Nguyen Bong said that in the near future, the Center plans to integrate three new useful features on the VssID application including: Registering an account online via eKYC technology; linking e-wallet/Bank account; payment of social, health and unemployment insurance via identification account and QR code.

With eKYC technology, to register for a VssID account, users will not need to go to the social security agency for confirmation like today. Accordingly, the user takes a photo of his or her citizen identity card or ID card or passport, then records his/her face and fills in some other basic information. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology will compare the user's image and the photo on the ID to confirm if the data is correct. With eKYC, customer identification takes place quickly with high accuracy due to the highly developed biometric matching and identification technology today, helping to provide a more seamless, comfortable and convenient experience for customers. It helps increase customer satisfaction and ensures they can use the service as soon as they complete the online registration without face-to-face contact.

Regarding linking bank accounts to electronically pay social and health insurance premiums, this is the last step in providing level 4 public services of Vietnam's social insurance industry. By linking e-wallets, individual and corporate bank accounts can still make payment of social, health and unemployment insurance premiums on the electronic system without having to go to the social security agency.

Users make online payment to continue paying voluntary social insurance and participate in household-based health insurance on the VssID application, as soon as the payment is received (on centralized accounting software), the VSS system will automatically record the process of participating in voluntary social insurance and issue health insurance cards to participants (on the software of collection and management of cards and books), saving time and reducing errors and risks as social insurance officers do not have to perform them manually, thereby, ensuring the interests of participants. As well, it supports people during the current complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Developing detailed plans and setting up a steering committee for quick implementation

Speaking at the meeting, heads of units including the Department of Planning and Investment; Department of Finance and Accounting; Legal Department; Office; Customer Service Center; Media Center, has evaluated and proposed the plan for digital transformation and building the National Insurance Database; VssID application upgrade; and making recommendations and suggestions from the unit's professional activities.

The general opinion is that digital transformation is an inevitable trend, which requires practice and needs to be done immediately. The Vietnam's social insurance industry, with its early IT application platform, has had some advantages, but the challenge is huge with the large number of servants and complicated business processes. Therefore, the industry needs to identify the core and pillar issues to focus on first in digital transformation. Besides, it is also necessary to have a suitable plan and roadmap; pilot organization to gain experience in implementation, etc.

Assessing from the perspective of each field in charge, the Deputy General Directors: Tran Dinh Lieu, Dao Viet Anh, Le Hung Son had several comments, orientations and directions. Accordingly, the trend of IT application in social life is being promoted in the epidemic situation. The Vietnamese social insurance industry also needs to further promote the application of IT and digital transformation and perfect the database. Units under the VSS need to be proactive in building a digital transformation roadmap. In the immediate future, it is necessary to focus on building and perfecting the Industry database and the National Insurance database as this is the foundation for digital transformation and implementation of level 4 public services; developing applications and smart softwares. Besides, professional units also need to strengthen consultation and coordination work within the sector and related ministries and branches to perfect institutions and legal basis for digital transformation activities to ensure compliance with regulations, safety and confidentiality in collection and payment and settlement of benefits for participants and beneficiaries of social and health insurance policies. It is also crucial to have a master plan, develop a roadmap and organize pilots for evaluation; especially strengthening the connection and sharing of the industry's database with the national population database of the Ministry of Public Security to compare, authenticate and reduce administrative procedures, facilitate participants, etc.

At the conclusion of the meeting, VSS General Director Nguyen The Manh highly appreciated the careful preparation of the IT Center about the orientations in the digital transformation trend in the coming time. Manh said that the IT Center has actively researched, been responsible, and introduced many new issues "to take the lead" in the application of IT technology and digital transformation in the direction of the industry leaders.

According to the Manh, digital transformation is an inevitable trend today, therefore, the entire Vietnam's social insurance industry must be well aware of digital transformation, its contents and methods in accordance with the tasks in progress. In which, priority is given to key issues such as building a National Insurance Database; new technical content such as linking accounts, payment, eKYC, etc. "The orientation of the Party and State already exists, but on our existing IT platform, it is necessary to research and implement in the most effective way, towards the ultimate goal of best serving the People," emphasized the General Director.

Therefore, in order to continue to strongly promote the digital transformation of Vietnam's social insurance industry, Manh requested to quickly study and establish a Steering Committee on Digital Transformation of the Vietnam's Social Insurance Industry; in which, assigning specific and clear tasks, corresponding to each professional activity and each operation of the units in the Industry, as well as responsibilities in digital transformation coordination. At the same time, it is fundamental to develop a master plan on digital transformation of Vietnam's social insurance industry with specific plans, contents, goals and tasks of each unit in each year and each period.

For the connection and sharing with the National Population Database of the Ministry of Public Security, the Vietnam's social insurance industry is considered to be taking the lead. Currently, nearly 10 million people have got their information compared and authenticated between the database of the Vietnam's social insurance industry and the National population database. On that basis, in the coming time, the Industry will continue to be proactive and pervasive, with the aim of signing a comprehensive coordination regulation with the Ministry of Public Security so that the two sides continue to share and communicate data on the basis of ensuring the legality as well as the safety and security of personal data.

For the construction of the National Insurance Database, General Director Nguyen The Manh also proposed to consider establishing a Steering Committee; at the same time, professional units need to continue to study and review specific tasks and responsibilities of the sector in Decree No. 43/2021/ND-CP of the Government. From there, to concretize the criteria that need to be provided and shared by relevant ministries and branches with the VSS for implementation.

"Regarding the application of new technologies on the VssID application, specialized units shall review the legal basis; ensure the principle of unity, safety and confidentiality. Simultaneously, to continue to research new technologies in payment and account linking, etc., creating the most favorable conditions for participants in paying and enjoying social and health insurance policies.” - Manh directed./.