25-year implementation of social and health insurance policies reviewed

The teleconference was attended and chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Speaking at the conference, PM Phuc highlighted the VSS’s role as the main pillar in the social security system over the last 25 years.

While Vietnam is still a lower-middle-income country,with per capita income of over US$2,800 in 2019, the average life expectancy of Vietnamese people has surpassed 73.6, which is high compared to the world’s average, and the multidimensional household poverty rate has been reduced to under 4%, the PM noted.

As of the end of 2019, social insurance covered nearly 16 million people, equivalent to 32.3% of the workforce, and health insurance covered nearly 86 million people, or 90% of the country’s population.

The Government leader also emphasised that social insurance coverage must be expanded, adding that caring for people’s life, health and prosperity is the responsibility of the Party and State, and that it is necessary to have a social security system that covers all people and matches international standards.

PM Phuc also urged for regular overhauling of social and health insurance policies and laws in line with international practices, stronger administrative procedure reforms, completion of the national database on insurance, better connection and information sharing among ministries and sectors, and processing of administrative procedures on the National E-Document Exchange Platform to help build an e-Government.