The seminar aims to introduce amendments of policies and new policies of social and health insurance laws to representatives of the Central Agencies- concerned departments and agencies in HCMC. It also helps employers and laborers in public sectors, media and press, to be aware of basic contents and new policies of the law. This is an opportunity to listen to ideas of employers and laborers in public sectors as well as related parties on demands, aspirations in the process of implementation of social and health insurance laws.

At the seminar, Mr. Bui Si Loi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Commission of Social Affairs introduced 9 new points of social insurance laws in 2014 which come into effect since January 1 2016. Accordingly, the most notably provision is that a laborer who works under seasonal employment contract or under a specific period of time from 1 month to under 3 months when he/she participates in compulsory social insurance (Point A, Term 1, Article 2); another provision that a laborer is a foreign citizen working in Vietnam with work permit or work certificate issued by competent authorities of Vietnam when participates in compulsory social insurance under the regulations of the Government (Term 2, Article 2).

Another new point is that arrangement of non-professional people working in communes, wards, townships when participate in compulsory social insurance under two spheres of retirement and survivorship, of which the State pays 14% and laborers pay 8% of their minimum salary (VND 1,150,000). There are now 240,000 non-professional people working at communes, if the State pays 14% for each, the total amount will reach VND 443 billion.

Till August 2015, there are 205,949 people entitling to participate in voluntary social  Insurance laws in 2014 encourage to expand objects participating in social insurance to implement regulations of Article 34 of 2013 constitution that “citizens are guaranteed the right to social security”.

According to Mr. Loi, social insurance law in 2014 gives social insurance agencies the authority of inspection on paying social insurance fee, voluntary and compulsory social insurance fees to resolve the social insurance avoidance or insurance debts. The inspection apparatus includes officials from social insurance agencies at all levels, so it will not increase the payroll of the State.

Mrs. Tong Thi Song Huong, Head of Department of Health Insurance under Ministry of Health said thanks to participation of the whole political system, health insurance sector has achieved encouraging results. Till September 2015, there are 67,4 million people participating in health insurance, equivalent to 73,9% of the population; 80% of health facilities at communes organizing medical examination and treatment for patients with health insurance cards; 70% of medical examination and treatment carried out in communes and districts to create favorable conditions for the insured to choose and access to suitable health facilities, increasing quality of health care and common health examination and treatment services at provincial levels. Most of drugs, technical services are under payment of health insurance funds. The rate of direct payment from households decreases from 53% in 2010 to 47% in 2013.

Health sector has laid out 3 objectives: 75% of population participating in health insurance till 2015 and 80% till 2025; enhancing quality of health insurance examination and treatment, administrative reform, improvement of accessing health services and meeting demands of health insurance examination and treatment; renewing financial mechanisms, payment methods, reduction of direct payment from households to 40% till 2015.

In order to achieve the above objectives, health sector has been implementing 6 groups of solutions: direction and management, implementation of solutions on increasing coverage of health insurance, improvement of quality of medical examination and treatment and strengthening of accessing health services for the insured, propagating policies and regulations on health insurance, improvement of quality of management, organizing implementation of health insurance, stressed Mrs. Huong.

HCM CITYWEB