Breakthroughs from administrative reforms in the insurance industry.

(Baonghean) - The Social Insurance agency regularly interacts and transacts with organizations and individuals participating in social insurance (BHXH), health insurance (BHYT), and unemployment insurance (BHTN). Therefore, administrative reform is of particular concern to its leaders, officials, and staff. In recent times, the provincial Social Insurance agency has effectively implemented several key aspects of this work.

Electronic transactions

Recognizing that one of the key factors contributing to the effective implementation of administrative reform is the application and promotion of informatization in professional activities, the Provincial Social Insurance Agency has focused on investing in equipment, facilities, information technology equipment, and specialized software over the years. The Provincial Social Insurance Agency's website has been improved to better serve the needs of individuals and organizations in the province in accessing and exchanging information on social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies. To date, regulations on documents, procedures, processing deadlines, and forms related to the handling of administrative procedures, management data, etc., are all publicly available on the Provincial Social Insurance Agency website for organizations and individuals to access and cooperate in implementation.

Provincial Social Insurance staff provide advice on unemployment insurance policies to workers.

Specifically, in implementing Decision No. 08/2015/QD-TTg dated March 9, 2015, of the Prime Minister on "Pilot electronic transactions in the procedures for participating in social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and requesting the issuance of social insurance books and health insurance cards" and Official Letter No. 5472/BHXH-Bt of the Vietnam Social Insurance on "Transaction of social insurance and health insurance contribution documents via the internet," on May 7, 2015, the Provincial Social Insurance agency implemented electronic transactions for registering for social insurance and health insurance, and issuing social insurance books and health insurance cards via the internet. Accordingly, the Provincial Social Insurance agency also sent official letters to employers in the province requesting their cooperation in conducting social insurance and health insurance document transactions via the internet. According to regulations, electronic social insurance documents include the declaration form and other documents stipulated by law on social insurance and health insurance in electronic form.

To implement electronic transactions, employers are required to meet certain conditions, such as possessing a digital certificate, having internet access and usage capabilities, and having a stable email address registered with Vietnam Social Security. As of September 30, 2015, the provincial Social Security office had coordinated with 1,628 employers to install the application software for registering electronic transactions and received transactions from 77 units. To effectively implement electronic social security transactions for agencies, units, and businesses employing workers, the provincial Social Security office organized dozens of training courses for social security officers at participating units. Initial implementation in the province has shown positive changes in transactions regarding documents and procedures; the service attitude and cooperation of social security officers when interacting with agencies, units, and businesses have improved. This contributes to reducing administrative procedures and saving time in the process of transactions and social insurance contributions for businesses as well as social insurance agencies.

Nghe An Water Supply Company Limited is one of the leading units in implementing electronic transactions related to social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance for its employees. Ms. Le Thi Thuy Vinh, an administrative staff member of the company, said: “Previously, before the implementation of electronic transactions in the field of social insurance, when needing to resolve social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance benefits for employees, the company's human resources and administrative staff had to travel to the social insurance agency 3-4 times a month to handle the work. Since registering and implementing the social insurance software at the company, the number of trips to the social insurance agency has decreased significantly. Changes in the number of employees, and social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance policies for the company's workers are updated daily, accurately, simply, and conveniently, reducing many administrative procedures compared to before.”

Besides Nghe An Water Supply Company Limited, other units such as Haloteco Garment Company, Mai Linh Nghe An Company Limited, etc., have effectively applied electronic transactions in carrying out procedures for participating in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance.

Accepting applications via mail.

Immediately after the Director General of Vietnam Social Security issued Decision No. 1018/QD-BHXH dated October 10, 2014, amending some contents in the decisions promulgating regulations on the management of social insurance and health insurance contributions and expenditures, the provincial Social Security agency contracted with the provincial Post Office to receive documents and return the results of administrative procedures related to social insurance and health insurance at employers' units through the postal system, considering this a key focus in administrative reform. Accordingly, the provincial Post Office will receive documents and return the results of social insurance and health insurance procedures between employers' units and the Social Security agency. Instead of submitting documents or receiving results directly at the Social Security agency, the unit will categorize the required documents, compile a complete list of accompanying documents on the submission form, and sign with the full name of the person submitting the documents to confirm that the accompanying documents and forms have been transferred...

The use of postal delivery services has significantly reduced transaction time between social insurance participating entities and social insurance agencies, saving costs. In addition to directing district and city social insurance agencies to coordinate with district post offices to actively implement the service, the provincial social insurance agency regularly exchanges experiences with the provincial post office, resolves difficulties and obstacles, and improves the capacity of post office staff in receiving social insurance documents. To date, 21 district and city social insurance agencies have implemented the service of receiving and returning results of social insurance and health insurance administrative procedures through postal services for 5,199 employers. As of August 30, 2015, the provincial social insurance agency had received 638 documents and returned 1,960 documents through postal services.

Mr. Luu Van Hong, Director of Luu Hong Co., Ltd. (Quynh Luu), said: “Previously, whenever there were any adjustments related to social insurance and health insurance for employees, companies had to send staff to prepare the documents and take them to the district social insurance agency, then wait for the scheduled date to pick them up. However, since the implementation of receiving and returning social insurance and health insurance documents through the postal system, we only need to call a postal worker to pick them up and send them to the insurance agency. When the results are available, the insurance agency then delivers them directly to the companies through the postal system. Therefore, the process and procedures have been greatly streamlined.”

Ms. Le Thi Dung, Deputy Director of the Provincial Social Insurance Agency, stated: “Resolution 49/NQ-CP dated December 9, 2010, on simplifying procedures under the authority of the Vietnam Social Insurance Agency, stipulates a reduction from 263 administrative procedures to 111 procedures. We strive to further reduce procedures, minimize paperwork within procedures, and reduce the detailed content within paperwork; reducing the transaction time for businesses regarding social insurance and health insurance from 830 hours/year previously to 335 hours/year (in 2013), further reducing it by 50% in 2014 and to 49.5 hours/year by the end of 2015 (equal to the average level of ASEAN-6 countries).”

To achieve the above targets, in the coming period, the Provincial Social Insurance Agency will continue to direct the innovation and improvement of capacity and quality of service to beneficiaries in receiving and returning results; strengthen the inspection and supervision of the implementation of the "one-stop" mechanism in receiving and resolving social insurance benefits to promptly rectify shortcomings and limitations, fully meet the legitimate requirements of individuals and groups coming to transact and work, ensuring the rights of participants and beneficiaries of policies at the Provincial Social Insurance Agency and at the district-level Social Insurance Agency. At the same time, it will promote the application of electronic transactions to agencies and businesses in carrying out procedures for participating in social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance and requesting social insurance books and health insurance cards; and strengthen the delivery of administrative procedure results related to social insurance and health insurance to employers through postal services, contributing to creating the most favorable conditions for employers in resolving administrative procedures. Expanding the network of social insurance and health insurance collection agents to facilitate people's participation in voluntary social insurance and family-based health insurance…”.

Minh Quan