Joint Circular No. 09/2002/TTLT/BTCCBCP-BLDTBXH-BTC-BYT guiding the transfer of Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security.

 JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines on transferring Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security. 

Pursuant to Article 2 of Decision No. 20/2002/QĐ-TTg dated January 24, 2002 of the Prime Minister on transferring Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security, the Joint Ministries of Health, Finance, Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and State Administrative-Civil Service Agency of the Government hereby provide guidance for implementation as follows:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1- Purpose:

The transfer of Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security aims at:

1.1- Implementing the reform of the government's organizational structure under new circumstances according to Decision No. 136/2001/QĐ-TTg dated September 17, 2001 of the Prime Minister approving the overall program for administrative reform of the state for the period 2001-2010;

1.2- Serving and better meeting the requirements of social insurance and health insurance participants (both mandatory and voluntary), and creating favorable conditions for organizations employing workers to pay social insurance contributions as prescribed by law;

1.3- Developing and enhancing the efficiency of resource utilization in both the social security and health insurance systems.

2- Principles:

The transfer of Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security as stipulated in Decision No. 20/2002/QĐ-TTg dated January 24, 2002 of the Prime Minister, in accordance with the Health Insurance Regulations issued pursuant to Decree No. 58/1998/NĐ-CP dated August 13, 1998 of the Government, must ensure the following principles:

2.1- Transfer Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security in its entirety. During the transfer process, there shall be no changes to functions, tasks, organization, personnel, assets, finances; ensuring state policies and regulations for management staff, civil servants, and public officials shall be maintained;

2.2- Fully, continuously, and promptly implement state policies and benefits regarding medical examination and treatment and health care for those participating in health insurance; manage and utilize the health insurance fund in accordance with current regulations;

2.3- Continue to implement medical examination and treatment contracts between the health insurance agency and healthcare facilities for health insurance patients;

2.4- Summarize the implementation of the health insurance system to submit to the Government for supplementation, amendment of policies, and expansion of health insurance coverage, moving towards universal health insurance;

2.5- Maintain ideological stability and unity among management staff, civil servants, and public officials to complete assigned tasks.

II- SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

1- Contents of transferring Vietnam Health Insurance to Vietnam Social Security.

1.1- Functions, tasks, annual work programs for 2002;

1.2- Organizational structure and personnel of the entire health insurance system up to January 25, 2002;

1.3- All assets, funds, land, architectural works, debts (if any), and all related files, documents, ledgers, and vouchers concerning operational transfers and finance as of March 31, 2002.

2- Method of transfer:

To ensure accuracy, convenience, and compliance with the transfer schedule, the General Director of Vietnam Social Security will coordinate with the General Director of Vietnam Health Insurance to establish joint working groups at each level to implement the transfer contents specified in Point 1 of Section II above through direct transfer at each level and in the following sequence:

2.1- At the Central Level:

The General Director of Vietnam Health Insurance will carry out the transfer of the entire national health insurance system (including sectoral health insurance) to Vietnam Social Security within the scope of management delegated and decentralized by the Ministry of Health.

2.2- At the Local Level:

The Director of Provincial Health Insurance will carry out the transfer of the entire health insurance system from province to district, city district, town, and provincial city (if applicable) to Provincial Social Security.

The Directors of Health Insurance and Social Security at the provincial level will consolidate reports and minutes of handover between Health Insurance and Social Security at lower levels; prepare consolidated reports and minutes of handover at the local level to be submitted to Vietnam Health Insurance and Vietnam Social Security for nationwide consolidation.

3- Responsibilities:

3.1- The General Director of Vietnam Social Security has the responsibility:

3.1.1- To receive the transfer in accordance with the provisions of Points 1 and 2 of Section II of this Circular.

3.1.2- To provide general direction to the General Director of Vietnam Health Insurance in managing and operating the health insurance organizational system according to the Health Insurance Regulations promulgated together with Decree No. 58/1998/NĐ-CP dated August 13, 1998 of the Government.

3.1.3- To participate in meetings of the Management Board of Vietnam Health Insurance;

3.1.4- To conduct separate accounting for the Health Insurance Fund and Social Security.

3.2- The General Director of Vietnam Health Insurance has the responsibility:

3.2.1- To complete the transfer of the contents of work as stipulated in Point 1,2 of Section II above to the General Director of Vietnam Social Security by the end of the first quarter of 2002.

3.2.2- To continue managing and operating the health insurance organizational system in accordance with current regulations.

3.2.3- During the transfer period, no new organizations shall be established, no new personnel shall be recruited, no new leadership positions shall be promoted, and no new construction projects or fixed asset purchases shall be made.

3.2.4- To continue using the seal and account of Health Insurance in accordance with current regulations until new regulations are issued by the Government.

3.3- The Management Board of Vietnam Health Insurance continues to perform its functions, tasks, and powers as stipulated in Article 28 of Decree No. 58/1998/NĐ-CP dated August 13, 1998 of the Government until new regulations are issued by the Government and implements Decision No. 20/2002/QĐ-TTg dated January 24, 2002 of the Prime Minister.

3.4- The Management Board of Vietnam Social Security has the responsibility to direct Vietnam Social Security to implement the handover in accordance with Decision No. 20/2002/QĐ-TTg dated January 24, 2002 of the Prime Minister.

3.5- The Minister of Health issues a decision to transfer the entire health insurance system as stipulated in Point 1 of Section II above to Vietnam Social Security.

3.6- The Minister of Health, the Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Minister of Finance, the Head of the Government Organizational and Cadre Department, and the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally governed cities shall continue to perform their State management functions regarding Health Insurance according to current regulations until new regulations by the Government are issued.

4- Implementation organization:

4.1- The General Director of the Vietnam Social Security and the General Director of the Vietnam Health Insurance shall organize for leaders, managers, civil servants, and employees to fully understand this transfer for the common development of the Vietnamese Insurance System, which has significant implications both currently and in the future, to ensure peace of mind in work, unity, mutual support and assistance in a spirit of collegiality, and completion of assigned tasks.

4.2- The General Director of the Vietnam Social Security and the General Director of the Vietnam Health Insurance shall direct, provide detailed guidance, inspect, and organize implementation throughout the entire Social Insurance and Health Insurance system to ensure that the transfer is swift, complete, and accurate according to the contents stipulated in this Circular.

4.3- After completing the transfer of the Vietnam Health Insurance to the Vietnam Social Security, the General Director of the Vietnam Social Security shall be responsible for reporting the consolidated results of the handover of the entire Health Insurance system (attached with the handover protocol) to the Government Organizational and Cadre Department, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

III- IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect from the date of signature.

In the course of implementation, if there are any difficulties, please report them to the Government Organizational and Cadre Department, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs for study and resolution.