National Assembly delegates propose expanding social insurance benefits for part-time workers at the commune level

On the afternoon of October 27, under the direction of Permanent Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, the National Assembly discussed online health insurance (HI) and social insurance (SI).

Panorama of the 2nd Session at Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly House. Photo: Quochoi.vn

At the discussion session, delegates agreed with the report on the implementation of social insurance policies and regimes, management and use of the Social Insurance Fund in 2020; the management and use of the Health Insurance Fund in 2020 and the implementation of Resolution No. 68/2013/QH13 on promoting the implementation of policies and laws on health insurance, towards universal health insurance in 2019-2020.

Regarding the insurance regime for non-professional workers at the commune level, delegate Hoang Ngoc Dinh - National Assembly Delegation of Ha Giang province said that according to the Law on Social Insurance, non-professional workers at communes, wards and towns contribute 8% of their basic salary to the pension and death fund every month. Based on the Law on Social Insurance, non-professional workers at the commune level are only entitled to pension and death benefits but not to sickness, maternity and occupational accident benefits, which is a disadvantage for them.

Meanwhile, according to the delegate, the basis for collecting social insurance for non-professional cadres at the commune level is the basic salary, which is low compared to the general level of social insurance participants, leading to pension benefits not ensuring a minimum standard of living.

National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An attends the meeting at the headquarters of the National Assembly Delegation, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Thanh Duy

Therefore, delegate Hoang Ngoc Dinh proposed to increase the basis for participating in social insurance from basic salary to monthly salary, salary allowance and other supplements according to the provisions of law; at the same time, supplement regulations for non-professional workers at the commune level to fully participate in the regimes: Retirement, death, illness, maternity, accident, occupational disease when participating in social insurance.

Another issue that many delegates expressed their opinions on was that ethnic minority and mountainous people living in areas with particularly difficult economic conditions are covered by 100% health insurance by the State. This policy has contributed to reducing the burden of medical examination and treatment costs for ethnic minorities, ensuring social security, and gradually eliminating hunger and reducing poverty.

However, after Decision 861 dated June 4, 2021 approving the list of communes in regions III, II, I and Decision 612 dated September 6, 2021 approving extremely disadvantaged villages of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2025 took effect, many communes and villages were eligible to move from region III to region I and people in these communes were no longer entitled to policies for extremely disadvantaged areas, including the health insurance payment policy.

According to some delegates, the reality is that the majority of communes and villages from region III to region I have a tendency to decrease in health insurance coverage. While a common reality in mountainous provinces is that a large number of people, especially ethnic minorities, despite improved economic conditions, still face many difficulties, the financial capacity to buy a health insurance card for everyone in the family is difficult to implement, the ability to participate in the health insurance policy is very low. In these cases, if unfortunately an illness occurs and is not covered by the health insurance fund, the risk of falling back into poverty is very high.

National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An attends the meeting at the headquarters of the National Assembly Delegation, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Thanh Duy

From the above reality, delegate Chu Thi Hong Thai - Lang Son National Assembly Delegation, proposed that the Government have a solution in the direction of starting a more suitable implementation time so that people have more time to adapt to the absence of support policies, while also creating conditions for local authorities to have time to propagate, mobilize, and continue to have solutions to support people to stabilize production, improve living standards, and be ready to move to region I without support policies.

Regarding this content, delegate Hoang Ngoc Dinh - National Assembly Delegation of Ha Giang proposed to continue extending the time for people in communes of regions II and III in the period of 2016 - 2020 who have been transferred to region I according to Decision 861 to continue to enjoy the health insurance support policy until December 31, 2021 and proposed to study and supplement the policy from 2022 onwards, especially disadvantaged communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas after being recognized as meeting new rural standards (ie transferred to region I) will still be allowed to continue to extend the health insurance policy for at least one year.

National Assembly Delegate of Nghe An: Assess insurance contracts to protect buyers

(Baonghean.vn) - This is the opinion of the National Assembly delegate from Nghe An when discussing the draft Law on Insurance Business (amended) on the morning of October 25.

Also related to this content, delegate Pham Dinh Thanh - Kon Tum National Assembly Delegation proposed that the Government and the Prime Minister direct relevant ministries and branches to review and correctly assess the current situation to promptly issue appropriate policies such as continuing to support health insurance for people who are still facing many difficulties in life and are unable to buy health insurance themselves to help people, especially ethnic minorities, have access to health care services, reduce their burden and also contribute to increasing the rate of ethnic minorities participating in health insurance, so that by 2025, 98% of ethnic minorities will participate in health insurance according to the target of Resolution 88 issued by the 14th National Assembly.

Also at the discussion session, delegates suggested timely and strict handling of violations of health insurance; promptly directing the submission to the National Assembly of the Law on Health Insurance (amended) and the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (amended) to better implement the Party's policy on people's health care in the new situation; researching and amending regulations to increase attractiveness, while paying attention to fully and promptly implementing propaganda work to attract people to participate in voluntary social insurance; having solutions to expand the collection agent system to develop health insurance participants, moving towards universal health insurance. Delegates also expressed concern about the increasing trend of receiving one-time social insurance, which has a great impact on the social security policy of the whole country.

The majority of National Assembly deputies agreed to issue resolutions to pilot specific mechanisms and policies.

(Baonghean.vn) - Through discussion, the majority of National Assembly deputies agreed on the necessity of issuing resolutions to pilot specific mechanisms and policies for Nghe An, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, and Thua Thien Hue, and at the same time stated that this is a driving force for localities to develop more strongly.