Social Insurance sector resolutely promotes Covid-19 prevention and control

Accordingly, on April 28, Vietnam Social Security issued Official Dispatch No. 1098/BHXH-VP urging Social Security of provinces and cities to continue to strengthen measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic; on April 29, issued Official Dispatches on coordination to best ensure medical examination and treatment benefits for health insurance participants, as well as payment of pensions and social insurance benefits for May and June 2021 in the same payment period in May, ... contributing to the entire political system actively preventing and effectively controlling the Covid-19 epidemic.

Seriously, synchronously and effectively implement epidemic prevention and control work throughout the system.

Seriously implementing the direction of the Prime Minister, in Official Dispatch No. 1098/BHXH-VP, Vietnam Social Security requires its affiliated units and Social Security of provinces and cities to implement the following contents:

Thoroughly grasp and seriously, fully and promptly implement the directives and instructions of the Government, the Prime Minister, the Steering Committees for epidemic prevention and control at all levels, and the Ministry of Health.Vietnam Social Securityand local Party committees and authorities on disease prevention and control; further enhance vigilance against disease risks; promote the responsibility of heads of agencies and units; continue to resolutely, synchronously and effectively implement disease prevention and control measures.

Regularly inspect and urge the implementation of epidemic prevention and control measures within agencies and units, especially for departments with civil servants, public employees, and workers who regularly contact and handle work with organizations and individuals. Limit unnecessary events and activities with large crowds; in case of organization, strictly implement measures to ensure safety and prevent Covid-19 epidemic.

In case of an outbreak of an epidemic or a risk of infection within the management scope of an agency or unit, it is necessary to immediately apply isolation, zoning, and epidemic response measures according to regulations. At the same time, proactively and flexibly arrange for civil servants, public employees, and workers to work in accordance with the actual situation in the locality to best ensure the rights of participants.

Vietnam Social Security strives to reform administrative procedures and apply IT to improve service quality for people and businesses. Photo: Archive

Civil servants, public employees, and workers in the entire industry must raise awareness and consciousness about disease prevention and control; limit participation in crowded activities; strictly implement the "5K" requirements of the Ministry of Health. Any case that has traveled to, arrived at, or returned from an epidemic area or has symptoms or risk of infection must strictly comply with medical declaration and isolation measures; and immediately inform the head of the unit to promptly take measures to handle the situation, preventing the spread of disease in the agency or unit.

Ensuring health care benefits for health insurance participants

In order to drastically, synchronously and effectively implement the proposed epidemic prevention and control measures, especially the implementation of the "5K" requirement of the Ministry of Health, not to let the epidemic spread in the community, in Official Dispatch No. 1126/BHXH-CSYT dated April 29 sent to Social Insurance of provinces and cities, Social Insurance of the Ministry of National Defense and Social Insurance of the People's Public Security on coordination to strengthen the prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic, Vietnam Social Insurance requests Social Insurance of provinces and cities to coordinate and agree with health insurance medical facilities to strictly implement Official Dispatch No. 97/CD-BYT dated January 29 of the Ministry of Health and the guidance of Vietnam Social Insurance in Official Dispatch No. 310/BHXH/CSYT dated February 4 and Official Dispatch No. 346/BHXH-CSYT dated February 8. At the same time, note the following contents:

- Organize prescription and dispensing of outpatient medications for chronic diseases for longer periods of time for all subjects (up to 3 months).

- Test for SARS-CoV-2 on patients according to the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 5268/BYT-KCB dated October 1, 2020 of the Ministry of Health for early detection and prevention of thorough isolation.

- Provide guidance on referrals and follow-up appointments in accordance with the local epidemic situation, ensuring convenience for health insurance patients and safety in disease prevention and control.

At hospitals, patients and their families all comply with the disease prevention and control measures set forth by the hospital. According to the hospital's instructions, every person coming to see a doctor must wear a mask and declare their travel history in the past 14 days. Those who show signs of the epidemic will be immediately transferred to the screening clinic. Photo courtesy of Duc Anh

Previously, Official Dispatch No. 310/BHXH/CSYT dated February 4 of Vietnam Social Security requested Social Security of provinces and cities to study and coordinate with health insurance medical facilities to organize implementation, and at the same time, implement health insurance medical costs according to the instructions of the Ministry of Health to ensure health insurance medical care for people, while drastically implementing measures to prevent and control Covid-19 infection in health insurance medical facilities.

Along with that, Official Dispatch No. 346/BHXH-CSYT dated February 8 has guided the Social Insurance of provinces and cities related to payment for Covid-19 testing under the health insurance regime. Accordingly, for Covid-19 testing costs, the Social Insurance of provinces will pay according to the instructions of the Vietnam Social Insurance in Official Dispatch No. 2731/BHXH-CSYT dated August 27, 2020. In case the patient is being treated as an inpatient in the emergency department, emergency resuscitation department, intensive care department and other inpatient treatment departments of the medical facility designated for Covid-19 testing according to the instructions in Clause 5 of Official Dispatch No. 97/CD-BYT, the provincial Social Insurance will make payment according to the instructions in Clause 2 of Official Dispatch No. 2731/BHXH-CSYT.

Thanks to proactive arrangements and propaganda, currently, patients and their families when coming to see a doctor all comply with the Covid-19 prevention and control measures set forth by hospitals such as: wearing masks, declaring the history of places they have been to and visited within the past 14 days and sitting apart while waiting for medical examination.

Pay pensions and social insurance benefits for May and June 2021 in the same payment period of May

In contextCovid-19 epidemicWith the potential risk of a resurgence, in addition to promptly implementing measures to ensure health care benefits for health insurance participants, on April 29, Vietnam Social Security also promptly issued Official Dispatch No. 1135/BHXH-TCKT to Vietnam Post Corporation and Social Security of provinces and cities on the implementation of lump-sum payment of pensions and social insurance benefits for May and June 2021 in the same payment period of May for beneficiaries (completed before May 20, 2021).

Pension payment staff of Vinh City Post Office pay pension to Mr. Tran Dinh Tinh in Block 3, Ha Huy Tap Ward (Vinh City). Photo courtesy of Duc Anh.

Currently, the whole country has about 3.2 million people receiving pensions, regular social insurance benefits and more than 200,000 people receiving one-time social insurance benefits, unemployment benefits/month. In order to best ensure the rights of social insurance beneficiaries, Vietnam Social Security directs provincial social insurance agencies to coordinate with provincial post offices to develop payment plans for May and June 2021 at the same payment period suitable for each locality, avoiding crowds, ensuring safety for beneficiaries in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister. Notify beneficiaries of changes in payment methods, payment times, and payment locations for implementation.

At payment points, prepare masks and free sanitizers; require payment staff and beneficiaries to strictly follow the "5K" requirements of the Ministry of Health, especially wearing masks, disinfecting... according to regulations. At the same time, mobilize and encourage beneficiaries to receive social insurance and unemployment insurance benefits through personal accounts to help people save time, reduce costs and ensure their own safety in the complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Paying pension to Mr. Tinh in Ha Huy Tap ward (Vinh city). Photo courtesy of Duc Anh

The series of flexible and timely solutions mentioned above by Vietnam Social Security, while the Covid-19 epidemic is developing complicatedly, have shown the political determination of the entire industry in joining hands with all levels and sectors to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic, proactively proposing solutions to better ensure the rights of social insurance and health insurance participants./.