Nghe An Provincial Social Insurance strives towards universal social insurance

In 2021, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of the entire political system, the work of developing social insurance participants in the province still achieved positive results. Achieving these results is the result of the efforts and endeavors of Nghe An Social Insurance with many practical and effective solutions.

The joy of voluntary social insurance participants

Visiting the family of Mr. Ngo Duy Cu (born in 1972) with his wife, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyet (born in 1980) in Phuc Loc block, Vinh Tan ward (Vinh city), in a house full of lime and mortar in the hot noon of May, Mr. Cu hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead, then poured a bowl of strong green tea to invite his guests, he confided: The house is being repaired, dear. For the past few months, due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the workers have been working slowly, so it has not been completed yet. Both husband and wife are self-employed (Mr. Cu is a construction worker, Ms. Nguyet sells vegetables and fruits at the market). The family's situation is not very good when all of their sources of income are unstable. Moreover, they have an old mother over 80 years old, 3 children of school age (the first child is in 9th grade this year, the youngest child will be in 1st grade next year).

Mr. Ngo Duy Cu (born in 1972) in Phuc Loc block, Vinh Tan ward (Vinh city). Photo: Thanh Hien

However, the couple still discussed and decided to participate in voluntary social insurance. According to Mr. Cu, “the income of both husband and wife is not stable, now if we do not save for old age, when our health is not good, we will not know who to look to. When the children grow up, each will go to a different place, it is already good enough for them to take care of themselves. As parents, we cannot depend on our children and grandchildren.”

If the income was more stable, the couple would definitely participate in social insurance with a higher contribution rate than now (each year they contribute more than 2 million VND in voluntary social insurance). For Mr. Cu, saving that amount of money for his wife and him in their old age is already a great effort. And the couple is very happy and very assured because when they both retire, it is also the time when they will receive pensions from participating in voluntary social insurance.

Mr. Ngo Duy Cu (born in 1972) in Phuc Loc block, Vinh Tan ward (Vinh city)

Not only Mr. Cu has joy and confidence when participating in voluntary social insurance, but Mr. Tran Van Ngoan (born in 1960) in Quang Trung ward (Vinh city) also has no less joy. It is known that he participated in social insurance from January 2009 to November 2020 at Vinafood 1 Flour Joint Stock Company. By November 2020, Mr. Ngoan was old enough to retire according to regulations, but the time of participating in social insurance was only 11 years and 11 months. According to the regulations on the minimum number of years to enjoy the pension regime is 20 years, Mr. Ngoan is still short of 9 years and 1 month. After researching and being advised by the social insurance collection agent, Mr. Ngoan decided to pay voluntary social insurance at once for the missing years. And by January 2021, Mr. Ngoan began to enjoy the pension regime with a pension of over 2.9 million VND/month.

Mr. Cu said that if his income was more stable, he and his wife would definitely participate in social insurance with a higher contribution rate than now. Photo: Thanh Hien

As of April 30, 2021, the whole province had 239,482 people participating in compulsory social insurance, an increase of 16,696 people (up 7.49%) over the same period in 2020, an increase of 3,254 people (up 1.38%) over December 2020; an increase of 1,104 people (up 0.46%) over March 2021; The number of people participating in voluntary social insurance was 86,731 people, an increase of 27,186 people (up 45.66%) over the same period in 2020, an increase of 9,350 people (up 12.08%) over December 2020 and an increase of 2,378 people compared to March 2021 (up 2.82%).

This is a remarkable result from the efforts of the entire Nghe An Social Insurance sector in a very difficult time like now. In the following months of 2021, the Covid-19 epidemic will continue to have complicated developments, greatly affecting economic development, people's income will also be affected, meaning that developing and expanding the number of social insurance participants will face many difficulties.

Many timely solutions

The voluntary social insurance policy has been implemented since 2008, aiming to create opportunities for workers in the informal sector to participate in social insurance. However, after 10 years, the number of people participating in voluntary social insurance has not yet developed commensurate with the potential. On May 23, 2018, the 7th Conference of the 12th Central Committee issued Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW on reforming social insurance policies, which clearly stated the direction for implementing universal social insurance. On August 3, 2018, the Government issued Resolution No. 102/NQ-TW assigning the target of developing social insurance participants to the People's Committees of provinces and cities, considering it a target for local socio-economic development.

Nghe An Social Insurance officers advise people to participate in social insurance and health insurance. Photo: Duc Anh

In order to develop voluntary social insurance, in addition to the advantages of the policy, in recent times, the social insurance sector has also made efforts to implement many solutions, with the determination to bring Resolution No. 28 into life. Accordingly, the social insurance sector has strengthened coordination with relevant agencies to synchronously implement many solutions such as: Participating in proposing to perfect policies in accordance with the practical situation; implementing administrative procedure reform, applying IT to facilitate policy participants and beneficiaries. Innovating and strengthening communication work, especially on social networks, encouraging each cadre and civil servant in the whole sector to be a propagandist to introduce and mobilize people to participate... In particular, May every year has been chosen as the month to promote the implementation of social insurance for all people according to Decision No. 1676/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. This is considered a good opportunity for Vietnam Social Insurance and relevant sectors to focus on propaganda and mobilization of people.

WithNghe An Social InsuranceIn 2021, the target of developing voluntary social insurance participants increased by 38.79% compared to 2020; striving for the health insurance coverage rate in the whole province to reach 91% of the population by the end of 2021, an increase of 0.4% compared to 2020. To strive to achieve the assigned target, Nghe An Social Insurance has proposed specific solutions to develop social insurance participants:

Propaganda about voluntary social insurance policy for people in Nghi Loc. Photo: PV

Specifically: Strengthening the advisory work for the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee to direct functional branches to continue to closely coordinate with the Social Insurance sector in implementing the Programs and Plans of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Nghe An province on implementing Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW, dated May 23, 2018 of the Central Executive Committee of the Party (term XII) on reforming social insurance policies. Advising on the development of targets for social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance participants in the province's socio-economic targets for the following years.

Develop a communication plan right from the beginning of the year; strengthen consultation and coordination in propaganda work to bring social insurance and health insurance policies to the masses; constantly innovate and diversify propaganda work, focusing on oral and direct propaganda work; strengthen inspection and examination of the implementation of policies and laws on social insurance and health insurance at agencies, units and enterprises; promptly detect and strictly handle violations, especially acts of evasion, debt, fraud and profiteering of social insurance and health insurance.

Organize a general review and develop the subjects participating in compulsory social insurance at units that have not participated or have not fully participated for employees according to regulations. Implement solutions to expand and improve the quality of the system of Social Insurance and Health Insurance Collection Agents in the area.

Consulting people to participate in social insurance and health insurance at the collection agency in Le Loi ward (Vinh city). Photo: Duc Anh

For the group participating in compulsory social insurance: Organize a general review and develop subjects participating in compulsory social insurance at units that have not participated or have not fully participated for employees according to regulations. Review and grasp projects in the management area that will come into operation during the year and large companies that will expand their production scale during the year to directly guide and support units to register for social insurance for employees. For projects with 500 employees or more, the provincial Social Insurance will support the district Social Insurance to work with the unit.

With the participating groupVoluntary social insurance: Coordinate with the People's Committee, Farmers' Association, Women's Association of communes, wards and towns to organize conferences to directly propagate social insurance and health insurance policies in blocks, hamlets, villages or residential clusters. Organize training and foster skills for collection agents in propaganda, exploitation and mobilization of subjects to participate in voluntary social insurance and health insurance by household. Assign specific targets for developing voluntary social insurance and health insurance subjects by household to collection agents each quarter. Regularly check data to promptly urge.

Nghe An launched a campaign to respond to the Month of promoting the implementation of universal social insurance. Photo courtesy of PV

Since the issuance of Resolution 28-NQ/TW, the implementation of social insurance policies nationwide has undergone many important changes. In particular, expanding the scope of social insurance coverage is an immediate and long-term goal, aiming towards universal social insurance, ensuring social security for all workers. Therefore, in the coming time, the social insurance sector needs to continue to focus on building people's trust in social insurance policies through comprehensive innovation of content, form and methods of propaganda.

At the same time, efforts should be made to research and develop new ways to continue to maintain and rapidly increase the rate of people participating in voluntary social insurance; change people's habits from self-saving and hoarding for difficult times to contributing to the social insurance system to ensure their lives when they reach retirement age.