Providing health insurance cards to the poor in mountainous areas.

One Monday morning, I was at the My Thuong Ward Public Administrative Service Center. In the corner of the room, Mrs. Tran Thi Hanh (68 years old) was intently looking at a sheet of paper instructing her on how to open a bank account to receive her pension. “I’m used to receiving cash, so transferring it to a bank account feels strange. But with the staff’s guidance, it’s more convenient and I don’t have to travel back and forth as much,” Mrs. Hanh said.

Over the years, the Social Insurance agency of Hue City has quietly maintained its role as a "pillar of support" for the people and workers. In 2025, the agency processed more than 2,600 applications for retirement, death, work-related accident, and occupational disease benefits monthly. At the same time, it paid sickness, maternity, and convalescence benefits to approximately 75,000 people and coordinated the payment of unemployment benefits to nearly 9,500 workers.

Over 35,800 people are receiving monthly pensions and social insurance benefits, with total payments reaching hundreds of billions of VND each month. For many, this is not only money to cover living expenses, but also a safety net as they age and their health declines.

On March 17, 2026, the Vice Chairman of the Hue City People's Committee, Tran Huu Thuy Giang, signed and issued Plan No. 141/KH-UBND on developing participation in social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and reducing overdue payments in 2026. According to this plan, the city aims to rapidly expand coverage, especially for voluntary social insurance, while assigning specific targets to each agency, unit, and locality.

Specifically, by the end of 2026, the entire city aims to have over 152,000 workers participating in compulsory social insurance, over 30,600 participating in voluntary social insurance, approximately 142,000 participating in unemployment insurance, and over 1.18 million participating in health insurance. Along with this, the goal is to control the rate of late payments at or below the national average, in order to ensure the legitimate rights of workers.

Returning to Ms. Hanh's story, receiving her pension through a bank account, a seemingly small change, was something she had never considered before. "Having money in the account makes my children, who live far away, feel more secure. I'm old now, so I don't have to travel as much," she added.

In recent times, the Social Insurance agency of Hue City has implemented cashless payments, interconnected data between units, and streamlined many administrative procedures. These changes have helped people save time and avoid multiple trips.

Moreover, the dissemination and explanation of policies are carried out in a more accessible way, so that people understand and actively participate, instead of waiting until they need to find out. Looking at the figures and plans, it is clear that the city is making efforts to maintain and expand its "safety net".

It was a small change, but for many, it marked the beginning of a much greater sense of security in their lives. Social security isn't just on paper. It's about whether people are actually protected when they need it.

Text and photos: HAN DANG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-polit-xa-hoi/an-sinh-xa-hoi/giu-vung-luoi-an-sinh-164437.html