In 2024, Viet Nam Social Security (VSS) made significant progress in advancing social and health insurance systems. The agency proactively advised on legislative reforms, leading to the passage of the revised Law on Social Insurance No. 41/2024/QH15 and the amended Law on Health Insurance No. 51/2024/QH15. Effective in 2025, these laws focus on expanding coverage, enhancing benefits, and simplifying procedures to protect policyholders’ rights and interests.
A strong political commitment was evident across all governance levels, with all 63 provinces establishing steering committees to support insurance policies. Sixty-two provinces integrated health insurance targets into local socio-economic plans, and 23 provided financial support for voluntary insurance participants. Efforts to expand coverage have shown tangible results, with social insurance participation expected to rise by 9.2% in 2024, health insurance coverage reaching 94.2% of the population, and unemployment insurance enrolment increasing by 8.8%.
VSS prioritised timely benefit payments, disbursing approximately VND350 trillion ($13.8 billion) to 3.3 million pensioners and processing over 8.5 million claims for health-related benefits. During natural disasters, the agency ensured uninterrupted service delivery. Digital transformation was a key focus, with 99% of participants linked to the national database and over 13.1 million electronic records processed. Administrative procedures were streamlined, improving service efficiency for nearly 621,000 organisations. The agency strengthened its financial discipline by auditing over 20,000 units, recovering VND227.4 billion ($8.6 million) in overdue contributions, and strategically investing insurance funds in government bonds.
VSS enhanced its international collaboration by partnering with 50 social insurance organisations and engaging with global institutions like the World Bank and WHO. Public communication efforts were intensified, with 32,000 media reports and over 27,000 public engagements conducted to raise awareness of insurance policies. Despite challenges like combating fraud and encouraging cashless pension payments, VSS achieved its 2024 goals through proactive management and innovative approaches. The agency aims to sustain this progress in 2025 by expanding participation, improving service delivery, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its insurance systems.
