Social insurance sector scores points thanks to administrative reforms.

(Baonghean) - Friendly service attitude, accelerated processing of procedures, application of interconnected electronic transaction systems... are some of the innovations of the Nghe An Social Insurance sector in recent times. As a result, the provincial Social Insurance sector is increasingly gaining favor in the eyes of the people.

At 7:30 AM every day, the "one-stop" service center of the Vinh City Social Insurance agency is bustling with activity. The staff responsible for receiving citizens, providing advice, and assisting with administrative procedures always begin their day with a busy schedule. As one of the first people to have her procedures completed, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh (Tien Loc hamlet, Hung Loc commune, Vinh City) was very pleased.

She said, "Today I came to get some health insurance paperwork done. To be honest, before coming, I heard from others that there would be long waits and complicated procedures, but in reality, when I arrived, the social insurance officials guided me and processed my paperwork very quickly."

During our visit to the Social Insurance office in Vinh City that morning, besides Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh, many other citizens came to report the loss of their health insurance cards and apply for new ones. The procedures were explained quickly and efficiently, and the issuance of new cards took only 5-15 minutes.

For more complex requests, the staff at the "one-stop" service center will contact relevant departments by phone to request assistance and guide citizens through the procedures, thereby reducing waiting times and travel.

Officials at the one-stop service center of the Vinh City Social Insurance agency process health insurance applications for citizens. Photo: Phuoc Anh.

For businesses in the city, recent positive changes in the social insurance sector have yielded many noteworthy results, especially the application of the electronic document submission system.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Thang, Director of Duc Thang Construction Investment Co., Ltd., said that his company has 30 employees. Before the implementation of the electronic document submission software, the company's accountant had to go to the city's Social Insurance office every month to submit insurance contributions for the employees. Not to mention the multiple trips required if there were any errors or mistakes. With the implementation of the electronic document submission software, they can now simply enter information from the company using the provided form. The software, with its automated functions, helps reduce errors in declarations and allows businesses to track the progress of their company's claims.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Thang affirmed: "Businesses like ours highly welcome reforms in the administrative procedures of the insurance industry. The application of information technology not only helps reduce time, save costs and labor, but also demonstrates the professionalism and responsibility of the Social Insurance sector towards its employees."

Mr. Tran Van Huyen, Director of the Vinh City Social Insurance Agency, affirmed: “Following the direction of the Provincial Social Insurance Agency, the Vinh City Social Insurance Agency has strived to promote the application of information technology, considering it a key step to improve the quality of work. Through the electronic document receiving software system, not only can businesses track the document processing process, but Social Insurance officials can also easily monitor and expedite progress. In the future, we will continue to support the installation of software and the deployment of digital signatures at newly established businesses.”

Administrative reform and the application of information technology have brought a "new breath of fresh air" to the Social Insurance agency of Vinh City in particular, and the entire provincial Social Insurance sector in general. Following the Prime Minister's directive, starting in 2015, the Social Insurance sector identified this as a pivotal period for administrative procedure reform. Based on a thorough review of each procedure, down to the smallest detail of the required documents and criteria on forms and declarations, Vietnam Social Insurance has issued decisions aimed at reducing paperwork, procedures, and processes across all operational areas, from collection and issuance of social insurance books and health insurance cards to the settlement and payment of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance benefits.

In Nghe An, implementing comprehensive solutions as directed by the Vietnam Social Security, along with dynamism and innovation tailored to the specific local situation, the Nghe An Social Security agency has also resolutely created a strong shift in administrative discipline and order, enhancing the sense of service to the people, organizations, and businesses among its staff and employees throughout the system.

Members of the Provincial Social Insurance Union distribute free porridge to poor patients.

Currently, the Nghe An Provincial Social Insurance Agency has publicly posted all 32 administrative procedures, documents, and forms related to social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance at the "one-stop" service counter of the Provincial Social Insurance Agency and its affiliated units. In addition, the Nghe An Provincial Social Insurance Agency's website (http://bhxhnghean.gov.vn) regularly updates information and disseminates new policies, making it easy for citizens and employers to access and learn about social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies and regulations. In the first six months of 2017, the Provincial Social Insurance Agency continued to accept and deliver results of administrative procedures through postal services in an open manner.At the same time, the provincial Social Insurance agency is strengthening and promoting the implementation of electronic document submission and receipt, creating maximum convenience and reducing costs for employers and individuals.

However, administrative reform efforts still face several challenges: administrative procedures in the fields of social insurance and health insurance are complex and frequently change; some young officials have not yet been exposed to documents from different historical periods; and application software sometimes fails to meet requirements and tasks.

In addition, there is still a situation where a small number of officials receiving applications and handling administrative procedures are still mechanical and passive; in some units, the professional and technical quality of officials is uneven and still needs further training and updating of knowledge to meet the requirements of the new era.

Ms. Le Thi Dung, Deputy Director of the Provincial Social Insurance Agency, affirmed: “In the coming time, the Provincial Social Insurance Agency will continue to strengthen the organizational structure of the Provincial Social Insurance Agency and the Social Insurance agencies in the districts; continue to strictly implement the administrative procedures issued by the Social Insurance sector; direct units to research and propose solutions to reduce the number of hours spent on administrative procedures compared to requirements, striving to complete the target set by the Government and Vietnam Social Insurance to reduce the number of hours for social insurance transactions to 49 hours. At the same time, we are determined to build the image of civil servants, officials, and employees of the Social Insurance Agency as “friendly and responsible” and launch emulation movements associated with the performance of assigned tasks.”

Phuoc Anh