Provincial Social Insurance union members go to the market to propagate policies to small traders.

Vinh market on weekends, amidst the bustling atmosphere of buying and selling, the blue shirts quietly spread out to all the stalls, meeting with many small traders to "ask for a few minutes" to share about the obligations and rights of participating in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies. Gently greeting and saying hello, in hand is a file of leaflets and open letters printed with the main contents of the regimes and policies, especially about family health insurance and voluntary social insurance.

Provincial Social Insurance Union members disseminate social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies to small traders at Vinh market. Photo: PV

After just a few minutes of propaganda, the provincial Social Insurance officers received many questions related to the subjects, conditions, contribution levels, and benefits.

Ms. Le Thi Tam - a fruit vendor at Vinh market is 52 years old this year. Before, she was a cooperative worker who retired under the 176 regime, and did not maintain her insurance payments. Now, she is middle-aged, and has been sick many times and has had to go to nearby or far away for medical treatment, but there is no support from health insurance to help with the costs.

“I have been hospitalized twice since the beginning of this year, once for appendicitis surgery, once for low blood pressure and had to go to the emergency room, both times cost money. Now that you have advised me that I can buy family health insurance to get a health insurance card, I will buy it for myself and my two children who are also self-employed to have more peace of mind,” said Mrs. Tam.

This trader also smiled sincerely when he learned about the preferential family health insurance premium, only 62,550 VND/month for the first person and gradually reducing the premium for other members.

Like Mrs. Tam, many people sent questions to members of the provincial Social Insurance mobile propaganda team. Even though it was noon, the atmosphere of questions and answers and consultations still showed no signs of cooling down. At the main hall of Vinh market, clothing vendor Ha Thi Nhu was interested in information about voluntary social insurance.

This year, turning 30, this small trader said that she has just bought a commercial insurance package, paying nearly 20 million/year for 15 years. "I plan to withdraw the money after 15 years to have a pension" - Ms. Nhu confided honestly. However, when listening to the provincial Social Insurance officer analyze the benefits of participating in voluntary social insurance, with flexible payment levels depending on the economic conditions of each stage, Ms. Nhu felt convinced and confident about the future of "holding a pension book".

Ms. Ha Thi Nhu said: “I think each type of insurance has its own advantages, but voluntary social insurance of the state is more secure because it is protected by the state. Moreover, I am a freelancer, and when I lose my ability to work, I don’t know where to rely on. Paying voluntary social insurance so that when I am old, I will have a pension book and health insurance seems more feasible.”

The provincial Social Insurance officer also explained to her in detail about the conditions for payment, the payment level, and did not forget to provide the phone number/address of the Social Insurance and Health Insurance collection agent where Ms. Nhu resides to make it convenient for her to contact after the propaganda session.

At the Ga market area, there was a day when the propaganda session took place in unfavorable weather conditions, but despite the rain, enthusiastic youth union members still tried to go to each booth to share useful and humane information.

With the mindset of not missing out on any subjects, and more than anyone else, the Social Insurance officers understand that women and small traders are the ones who are disadvantaged because their busy lives sometimes make them forget their own rights. Many of these hard-working women still have the mentality of "let the sun take care of the illness", "let it happen", because the current difficult economic conditions do not give them the time and mind to think and plan much for the future. With gentle confidences and sincere persuasion, the provincial Social Insurance union members try to convey information about Social Insurance, Health Insurance, and Unemployment Insurance in the most memorable and understandable way.

Small traders learn about social insurance policies through leaflets. Photo: PV

Mr. Hoang Quang Phuc - Secretary of the Provincial Social Insurance Youth Union said: In the markets, the propaganda subjects are mostly small traders, freelancers, not many people have pensions, or participate in social insurance and health insurance. A part of them have not really grasped all their rights and obligations when participating in this humane policy of the state, many people even confuse social insurance and commercial insurance! The mobile propaganda team must have a firm grasp of information to analyze and explain to people to understand correctly the nature of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance.

“We are very happy that everyone cooperated, everyone listened carefully and after the consultation, we provided many phone numbers of tax collection agents to facilitate people to continue to learn when needed” - Mr. Phuc shared.

Mobile propaganda is one of the active activities to develop and expand the number of participants in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance; at the same time, to convey correct and sufficient information to the people in the context of many articles on social networks comparing social insurance and commercial insurance that are not true, causing confusion among some people.

Interface of the people's satisfaction assessment system at the website address: nghean.bhxh.gov.vn. Photo: PV

In addition to this activity, the provincial Social Insurance has also just publicized the People's Satisfaction Assessment System and the hotline number to receive feedback from people and businesses. The People's Satisfaction Assessment System is posted on the website: nghean.bhxh.gov.vn, with a full directory leading to departments, offices, and professional departments of each Social Insurance unit of the district, city, and town.

With 2 contents of evaluating civil servants and evaluating administrative procedures, this system is a "channel" to receive feedback quickly and transparently, so that the Social Insurance sector can detect early and adjust and resolve existing problems in operations. These are positive moves of the Social Insurance sector of Nghe An province, implementing the motto of "transforming from administration to service", striving to create the most favorable conditions for people and businesses./.