Health insurance fund deficit in Nghe An is the largest in the country

Comrade Le Xuan Dai - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the conference. Also attending were comrades: Nguyen Huu Lam - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Organization Committee; Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Inspection Commission.Attending the conference was Mr. Dao Viet Anh - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security.

Comrade Le Xuan Dai speaks at the conference. Photo: Phuoc Anh

2017 was a year of many changes in the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies. Many targets and plans were completed and exceeded the targets assigned by the Central and the province. As of December 31, 2017, the health insurance coverage rate in the area reached 86.39%, exceeding 2.59% compared to the target assigned by the Government; the whole province had over 2.7 million people participating in social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance; total revenue from social insurance, voluntary social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance reached 5,207 billion VND, reaching 103% of the plan.

However, in addition to the achieved results, delegates at the conference also assessed many shortcomings and limitations in the implementation of social insurance and health insurance policies, especially the issue of health insurance fund overspending.

Doctors from the Emergency Resuscitation Department of the Provincial General Hospital are taking care of patients. Photo: Archive

Mr. Dao Viet Anh - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security revealed that the scale of overspending in Nghe An is currently the largest in the country. Notably, the average cost per health insurance card in the whole country is about 1.1 million VND, while in Nghe An it is at 1.4 million VND. "If we can bring it back to the average level, we can save about 700 billion VND a year" - Mr. Dao Viet Anh said.

The reasons for the deficit come from objective and subjective factors, which have been mentioned and analyzed many times. These include policy changes; increased number of patients coming for medical examination and treatment; and higher outpatient and inpatient treatment costs than the national average.

In addition, it is undeniable that there are abuses in medical facilities such as: prescribing unnecessary technical services, prescribing inappropriate tests; paying incorrect prices for technical services...

Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Dai said: "We sympathize with the pressure when medical examination and treatment facilities become autonomous units according to Decree 16, but clearly this is an issue that requires a change in awareness. Medical examination and treatment facilities, when signing contracts with the Social Insurance agency, must be responsible for ensuring the stability of the Health Insurance Fund. If the prescriptions exceed the limit, where will the money come from?"

Also at the conference, delegates discussed and clarified many difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of social insurance and unemployment insurance policies. Accordingly, the province's social insurance coverage rate has only reached 12.71%, far from the target of 50% by 2020 - set out in Resolution 21 of the Politburo; similarly, the unemployment insurance rate has only reached 10%, while the target is 35%.

In addition, the management of declaration of use, fluctuations in the number of employees in enterprises, management of salary funds, salary scales, etc. is still sometimes and in some places not strict. Compliance with the law in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies is not high, typically the situation of evasion and arrears of social insurance still occurs in many enterprises in the area.

Concluding the conference, Comrade Dao Viet Anh - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security and Comrade Le Xuan Dai - Permanent Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee praised and highly appreciated the results that Nghe An Provincial Social Security achieved in 2017.

Comrades requested that, in order to complete the goals and tasks of 2018, the provincial Social Insurance needs to closely coordinate with departments, branches, and organizations, promote and diversify the forms and contents of propaganda on social insurance and health insurance policies; ensure full, timely, and correct settlement of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance regimes for employees.

Along with that, further transforming the service style, strongly applying IT in specialized work. In particular, it is necessary to strengthen inspection and examination of key points, focusing on implementing solutions to balance the health insurance fund, contributing to ensuring social security in the area.

Comrade Nguyen Huu Lam - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Committee and Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee received the commemorative medal for the cause of social insurance. Photo: Phuoc Anh

Individuals honored to receive medals for their social insurance career. Photo: Phuoc Anh

Comrade Le Xuan Dai - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee awarded the emulation flag to the provincial Social Insurance for its excellent achievements in 2017. Photo: Phuoc Anh

On this occasion, the Provincial Social Insurance was honored to receive the emulation flag from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for its outstanding achievements in 2017; 33 individuals were awarded commemorative medals for their social insurance career; 17 individuals and 25 groups were awarded Certificates of Merit by the General Director of Vietnam Social Insurance for their outstanding achievements in implementing social insurance and health insurance policies in 2017.