Hanoi's social security system will strive to expand health insurance coverage to 95.5% of the population in 2025, according to a document recently released by the municipal People's Committee.

The city government has asked the Hanoi Social Securityto keep insurance arrears in Hanoi at or below the national average, control health care costs, prevent profiteering from the health insurance fund, and combat evasion of social insurance and unemployment insurance premiums.

According to the plan, the number of people covered by compulsory social security and unemployment insurance will reach 47.5%, 3.5% and 45% respectively of the working-age population.

Hanoi will also disseminate laws to raise awareness of social and health insurance among businesses, employees and every citizen.

Patients receive medical treatment at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: The Hanoi Times

In the time ahead, the city will try to increase the number of people affiliated to social security, unemployment insurance and voluntary social insurance, the document stresses. The municipality will increase banking penetration to facilitate the payment of pensions or monthly social allowances.

According to Le Van Long, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Social Security Department, the city partially subsidizes the premium for people who sign up for voluntary social insurance, which is twice as high as the regulated subsidy. This is one of the factors that has led to an increase in social insurance coverage.

According to Long, the city has a  program to subsidize premiums in certain situations, in addition to individuals who qualify for free health insurance under the law. However, the socio-economic situation, which is still not fully recovered, is a barrier for many people to enroll in voluntary social insurance.

Many workers become unemployed and are forced to interrupt the process of paying mandatory social security contributions, or are forced to collect social security in a lump sum to cover immediate emergencies," Long pointed out.

According to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS), health insurance now covers 93.35% of the country's population, exceeding the target set by the government's resolution on the socio-economic development plan for 2023.

Last year, the total premium payment of social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance reached over VND472 trillion (US$19.24 billion), an increase of 8.55% over the previous year, 1.41% higher than the target set by the Prime Minister, while the total expenditure was VND439 trillion.

Meanwhile, the social security enrollment rate reached 39.25% of the labor force, or 18.25 million people. The rate for unemployment insurance was 31.58%, or 14.69 million people, the VSS said.

The Vietnamese government has urged provinces and cities across the country to increase health insurance coverage to 95.15% by 2025. Poor and near-poor households will be provided with free health insurance.

The Ministry of Education and Training has been mandated to ensure that all students are covered by health insurance and to consider student health insurance coverage as a criterion for evaluating educational institutions.

The Vietnam Social Security must urge localities to find solutions to increase health insurance coverage. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has been asked to instruct medical centers to improve the quality of examination and treatment, the attitude of medical staff towards medical insurance holders, and the premium payment procedures for medical insurance patients.

The elderly get treated at a hospital in Hanoi.Photo: Hien Minh

Vietnam has also set a target to cover 95% of senior citizens by 2025 under a national action plan for 2021-2030. Coverage is expected to reach 100% by 2030.

The country aims to provide proper care for all seniors suffering from severe mental illnesses, with the goal that no elderly person will have to live in temporary shelters or dilapidated houses. In the period 2026-2030, all senior citizens in Vietnam will have access to necessary healthcare services when they are sick.

Vietnam plans to provide jobs for 50% of older people who are able and willing to work after retirement by 2025 and 70% by 2030.

To achieve these goals, the government has outlined 12 major tasks, including the development of a network of social support facilities to provide care, vocational training and housing for the elderly.

Health insurance was first introduced in Vietnam in 1992. Generally, insurance companies have tie-ups with leading hospitals to cover the treatment of the insured. If the insurance company does not have a tie-up with the hospital, it will reimburse the cost of treatment incurred by the insured. The government also encourages health insurance by providing income tax deduction.