Joint Circular No. 10/2007/TTLT-BLDTBXH-HCCBVN-BTC-BQP guiding the implementation of certain provisions of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP dated December 12, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Veterans Ordinance.

JOINT CIRCULAR

for use implementing some provisions of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP dated December 12, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Ordinance on Veterans

of December 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of

some Articles of the Ordinance on War Veterans

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Pursuant to the Ordinance on Veterans dated October 7, 2005;

BASED ON Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP dated December 12, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Ordinance on Veterans (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP);

After receiving opinions from relevant Ministries, the Joint Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Vietnam Veterans Association, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Defense have agreed to guide the implementation of certain provisions of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP as follows::

I. VETERANS

Veterans as defined in Article 2 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP are hereby further clarified regarding the provisions at points b and c, Clause 3, Article 2 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP as follows:

Cadres, soldiers, militia, self-defense forces, and guerrillas concentrated (in the North north of the 17th parallel from January 27, 1973 or earlier, in the South south of the 17th parallel from April 30, 1975 or earlier) are those who participated in combat in units established or assigned tasks by competent authorities recognized by the People's Committee of communes, wards, towns.

II. REGULATIONS AND POLICIES FOR VETERANS

1. Health insurance regime for veterans as stipulated in Clause 6, Article 5 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP

a) Veterans falling within the poverty standard as defined by the Government; veterans who participated in the resistance war before April 30, 1975, not covered by mandatory health insurance or not yet enjoying health insurance under other preferential policies shall be provided with health insurance cards according to current regulations by the State.

The benefits of those entitled to health insurance shall be implemented in accordance with the Health Insurance Regulation promulgated together with Decree No. 63/2005/NĐ-CP dated May 16, 2005 of the Government;

The monthly contribution rate for health insurance is 3% of the national minimum wage, guaranteed by the State budget.

b) Documents and procedures for applying for health insurance benefits (to be prepared in two sets of documents).

- Individuals applying for health insurance benefits.

Fill out the application form for health insurance benefits under the provisions of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP (Form 1a);

- Responsibilities of agencies and organizations.

+ The Veteran Association at the commune, ward, town level (hereinafter referred to as the commune level) receives the declaration forms of individual veterans, takes the lead in coordinating with related agencies and organizations at the local level to review, confirm, and compile lists for reporting to the same-level People's Committee;

+ The Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level reviews and signs letters requesting health insurance cards for veterans to be sent to the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (or the Department of Internal Affairs - Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs) at the district, city district, town, provincial city level (hereinafter referred to as the district level); (model 2a, accompanied by list model 4a);

+ The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the district level leads in coordinating with the same-level Veteran Association to review and consolidate lists of requests for health insurance cards for reporting to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level for approval and signing letters to be sent to the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the provincial level (hereinafter referred to as the provincial level); (model 3a, accompanied by list model 4a);

+ The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the provincial level leads in coordinating with the same-level Veteran Association to consolidate and compile lists for submission to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level for approval and signing decisions on health insurance benefits; (list according to model 5a, decision model 6a);

+ Based on the decision on health insurance benefits signed by the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level, the Department of Finance ensures funding to purchase health insurance cards; the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs leads in coordinating with social insurance agencies to purchase and issue health insurance cards promptly to veterans;

+ The Veteran Association at the provincial level coordinates with the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Finance to supervise the implementation of purchasing and issuing health insurance cards to veterans in accordance with the law;

+ Annually, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs coordinates with the same-level Veteran Association to direct subordinate levels to develop plans for coordinated implementation of reviewing and adjusting lists for reporting to competent authorities for decisions on health insurance benefits for veterans;

2. Funeral expenses regime as stipulated in Clause 8, Article 5 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP

a) Veterans who participated in the resistance war before April 30, 1975, upon death, if not eligible for funeral expenses under the Ordinance on Persons Contributing to the Nation and the Law on Social Insurance, the person organizing the funeral shall be entitled to funeral expenses according to current legal provisions;

The amount of funeral allowance is equivalent to that of persons participating in mandatory social insurance (10 months of the minimum wage), guaranteed by the State budget.

b) Documents and procedures for applying for funeral expenses benefits (to be prepared in two sets of documents).

- Relatives of the deceased fill out the application form for funeral expenses benefits and submit it to the Veteran Association at commune level (Form 1b).

- Responsibilities of agencies and organizations.

+ In cases where the deceased has no relatives, the organization or unit responsible for organizing the funeral fills out the application form for funeral expenses benefits and submits it to the Veteran Association at commune level (Form 1b);

+ The Veteran Association at commune level confirms and compiles a list to report to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the same level;

+ The Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level bases on reports from the Veteran Association and death certificates to sign letters requesting funeral benefits to be sent to the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the district level (model 2b, accompanied by list model 4b);

+ The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the district level leads in coordinating with the same-level Veteran Association to consolidate and compile lists of requests for funeral benefits for reporting to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level for approval and signing letters to be sent to the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the provincial level (model 3b, list model 4b);

+ The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at the provincial level leads in coordinating with the same-level Veteran Association to consolidate and compile lists for the Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to sign decisions on funeral benefits (list model 5b, decision model 6b);

+ The Department of Finance ensures funding sources; the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs leads in coordinating with social insurance agencies to implement payment of funeral expenses to relatives or representatives of organizations, units;

3. Funeral arrangements for deceased Veterans shall be carried out in accordance with Clause 8, Article 5 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP;

a) When Veterans and members of the Association of Veterans die, local authorities, agencies, units, and mass organizations shall coordinate with the Association of Veterans and their families to organize funerals;

b) Funeral rites and分级回复每个段落的翻译结果，确保符合要求：

4. Subsidies for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the Association of Veterans in agencies, organizations, and units shall be implemented in accordance with Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 10 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP;

a) Provinces and centrally-administered cities that organize Veteran Associations at the grassroots level under the Provincial Party Committee may allocate dedicated staff for association work; in cases where dedicated staff cannot be allocated, part-time staff engaged in association work shall receive a subsidy equal to 10% of their current salary plus position allowance and seniority bonus (if applicable). For the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of Veteran Associations in central and local agencies, organizations, and units, the subsidy for the Chairperson is 7% and for the Vice-Chairperson is 5% of their current salary plus position allowance and seniority bonus (if applicable).

b) Concurrent subsidies shall be paid together with monthly salaries without being used to calculate social insurance and health insurance contributions;

When ceasing to perform association work, from the following month, the concurrent subsidy shall cease to be enjoyed;

5. Retirement benefits when ceasing to perform association work in accordance with Clause 5, Article 10 of Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP;

a) The beneficiaries of retirement benefits when ceasing to perform association work;

Veterans who are currently receiving pension, social insurance benefits, and monthly disability benefits when ceasing to perform association work shall be entitled to retirement benefits including:

- The Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the Central Association of Veterans of Vietnam elected by the Executive Committee;

Veterans appointed, recruited, or transferred into the staffing system to work at the Central Association of Veterans and its affiliated units;

- The Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the Provincial Association of Veterans elected by the Executive Committee;

Veterans appointed, recruited, or transferred into the staffing system to work at the Provincial Association of Veterans;

- The Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the District Association of Veterans elected by the Executive Committee;

Veterans appointed, recruited, or transferred into the staffing system to work at the District Association of Veterans;

- The Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the Commune Association of Veterans elected by the Executive Committee;

b) Calculation of retirement benefits when ceasing to perform association work;

- For those receiving salary:

- For those receiving concurrent subsidies (Deputy Chairpersons of the Commune, Ward, and Town Associations):

c) The period of performing association work to calculate retirement benefits is the total continuous working time from the date of election, appointment, recruitment, or transfer until the decision to cease performing association work is made;

d) The salary and allowances for calculating severance pay when ceasing association work are the last month's salary and allowances received at the Veteran Association where they were working before ceasing association work.

đ) Procedures and authority to issue decisions to cease performing association work to pay retirement benefits for Veterans at all levels shall be as follows:

- The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Central Vietnam Veterans Association shall be decided by the competent authority to cease association work after obtaining the opinion of the Veteran Party Group and the resolution of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans Association.

Former combatants working for the Association at the Central Office of the Association and its subordinate units shall cease their work based on the opinions of the Standing Committee of the Party's Central Office of the Association, the opinions of the Party Group, and the decision of the Chairman of the Central Vietnam Veterans Association.

- The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Provincial Vietnam Veterans Association shall cease their work based on the opinions of the provincial party committee, municipal party committee, the opinions of the Party Group, and the Executive Board of the Provincial Vietnam Veterans Association, and the decision of the Chairman of the Central Vietnam Veterans Association.

Veterans performing association work at the Provincial Association of Veterans shall base their decision to cease performing association work on the opinions of the Provincial Association of Veterans' Party Group and the Chairperson of the Provincial Association of Veterans;

- The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the County Vietnam Veterans Association shall cease their work based on the opinions of the local party committee, the opinions of the Executive Board of the County Vietnam Veterans Association, and the decision of the Chairperson of the Provincial Vietnam Veterans Association.

Veterans performing association work at the District Association of Veterans shall base their decision to cease performing association work on the opinions of the local party committee and the Chairperson of the District Association of Veterans;

- The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Commune Vietnam Veterans Association shall cease their work based on the opinions of the Executive Board of the Commune Vietnam Veterans Association, the opinions of the local party committee, and the decision of the Chairperson of the County Vietnam Veterans Association.

e) All levels of the Association of Veterans shall be responsible for paying retirement benefits to cadres under their management when Veterans have a decision to cease performing association work;

6. Financial sources to ensure benefits

a) The cost of purchasing health insurance cards and funeral allowances for Veterans shall be guaranteed by the state budget according to the current state budget classification.

b) The subsidy funding for Veterans when ceasing to work for the Vietnam War Veterans Association from the state budget according to the current state budget classification.

III. ESTABLISHING THE BUDGET PROPOSAL AND FINAL ACCOUNTING FOR FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND REGULATIONS FOR VETERANS

1. Based on the policies and regulations for former combatants stipulated in Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP and the guidance provided in this Circular, each year, the Vietnam Veterans Associations at all levels, Vietnam Veterans Associations within agencies, organizations, units, and enterprises shall prepare budgets to ensure the policies and regulations for former combatants and submit them to the financial authorities at the same level for consolidation into the annual budget for approval by the competent authority.

2. The allocation of the budget proposal and the final accounting report for implementing the regulations for Veterans shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the State Budget Law and the current guiding documents.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

1. This Circular shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette; funeral expenses and allowances upon ceasing work for former combatants shall be implemented from the date Decree No. 150/2006/NĐ-CP takes effect; health insurance benefits shall be implemented from the date this Circular takes effect.

2. Ministries, sectors, the Vietnam War Veterans Association, People's Committees at all levels within their respective duties and authorities shall be responsible for organizing implementation in accordance with the guidance provided in this Circular.

3. In the course of implementation, if there are any difficulties, localities, agencies, organizations, and units are requested to report them to the Joint Ministry for study, consideration, and resolution.