Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, chaired the conference, which assessed the achievements of the Steering Committee in 2024, identified challenges, and set out objectives for 2025. The conference also honored businesses that had consistently complied with SI, HI, and UI policies and regulations for three consecutive years (2022-2024). Additionally, commendations were given to commune and ward-level People's Committees that achieved a health insurance coverage rate of 95% or higher, as well as outstanding and effective models in implementing SI and HI policies in 2024.

In 2024, the Steering Committee successfully mobilized the collective efforts of the entire political system. As a result, all social security targets were maintained and further developed. Revenue collection, participant enrollment, and the reduction of late SI, HI, and UI contributions all met their respective targets, with the number of participants increasing compared to the previous year.

The health insurance coverage rate reached 93% of the province's total population, with 1,775,033 participants, fulfilling 100% of the set target. Seven out of eleven districts, towns, and cities met their targets (Chau Thanh, Phu Tan, An Phu, Tan Chau, Chau Phu, Tri Ton, and Thoai Son). The province recorded 124,432 participants in compulsory social insurance, exceeding the target at 100.5%, with Chau Thanh District being the only locality surpassing the target (107.06%). A total of 29,707 people participated in voluntary social insurance, exceeding the plan at 102.23%, with Chau Thanh District again leading at 108.48%. Additionally, 114,202 individuals were enrolled in unemployment insurance, reaching 100.93% of the target.

In the education sector, 529 educational institutions facilitated the enrollment of 364,703 out of 365,196 students in health insurance, achieving a coverage rate of 99.87%. The total revenue from SI, HI, and UI contributions amounted to approximately VND 4.693 trillion, surpassing the target at 104.86%. The debt reduction rate was recorded at 1.45%, close to the planned rate of 1.55%

Concluding the conference, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province and Permanent Deputy Head of the Steering Committee, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, emphasized the significance of SI and HI as key social policies and foundational pillars of the social security system. She commended the collaborative efforts of the entire political system in achieving significant progress in SI and HI in 2024. These achievements included attaining a 93% health insurance coverage rate, surpassing enrollment targets for compulsory and voluntary social insurance, increasing revenue collection while reducing debt, streamlining administrative procedures, implementing technological advancements, and ensuring the timely and complete distribution of social insurance benefits to safeguard social security.

However, Vice Chairman Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy also highlighted persistent challenges. The health insurance coverage rate in 2024 only reached 93%, requiring an additional 2% increase in 2025 to meet the target set by the 11th Congress of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee for the 2020-2025 term. Additionally, compliance with SI and HI regulations among some businesses remained inadequate, leading to issues such as contribution evasion and prolonged arrears, which negatively affected workers' rights.

To build upon these successes while addressing existing shortcomings, the Steering Committee called on its members to rigorously implement the key tasks outlined in the 2025 Action Plan. This includes closely monitoring and supervising progress across localities, enhancing coordination with relevant departments, agencies, and mass organizations to ensure the effective enforcement of SI, HI, and UI policies.

A significant focus will be placed on expanding awareness campaigns to educate employers, employees, students, and the general public about recent amendments to SI and HI policies. The Provincial Social Insurance Agency, serving as the permanent body of the Steering Committee, will collaborate with professional agencies to propose, guide, and implement comprehensive measures to increase SI and HI participation. Efforts will also be directed toward debt collection, expanding service networks, and advising local authorities to assign specific targets to commune-level administrative units and service providers.

The Steering Committee will also work closely with the Department of Health to ensure the effective management and utilization of allocated funds for health insurance-based medical treatment. Additionally, measures will be reinforced to improve healthcare service quality, ensuring optimal medical benefits for insured individuals.

Efforts will be intensified to recover outstanding SI, HI, and UI debts, with strict actions taken against entities that deliberately evade or withhold contributions, as well as individuals or organizations exploiting the SI and HI funds. The Steering Committee will also conduct regular inspections and evaluations of SI and HI policy implementation across districts, towns, and cities, with periodic review conferences held as required.

Provincial departments, sectors, and local authorities will work in close coordination with the social insurance sector to develop and implement plans that meet policy targets. The Department of Health, in collaboration with the Ethnic Affairs Committee, the Department of Finance, and other relevant agencies, will propose additional support measures for health insurance contributions for ethnic minority communities residing in particularly difficult communes and hamlets. 

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the social insurance sector (February 16, 1995 - February 16, 2025), on behalf of the Steering Committee, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, acknowledged and commended the remarkable achievements of the provincial social insurance sector over the past three decades.

The year 2025 marks a particularly significant milestone for the sector, as numerous new policies will be implemented, alongside a series of revised legal documents related to SI operations, including the Social Insurance Law, the Health Insurance Law, and the Employment Law. Given these developments, Vice Chairman Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy urged the social insurance sector, along with relevant departments and local authorities, to strengthen collaboration and demonstrate unwavering commitment to fulfilling their mission of ensuring social security for the community.

On this occasion, Vietnam Social Insurance awarded Certificates of Merit to eight organizations and three individuals in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the coordination, guidance, and implementation of SI and HI policies during the 2022-2023 period. The An Giang Provincial People's Committee also awarded Certificates of Merit, while An Giang Social Insurance presented commendations to 16 exemplary employers who consistently complied with SI, HI, and UI regulations over the past three years (2022-2024). 

Additionally, ten commune, ward, and township-level People's Committees with high insurance coverage rates, along with two individuals for their innovative and effective models, were honored with Certificates of Merit.

Reported by Hanh Chau

Translator: Kim Thuan