In less than half a month, many wards and departments in Da Nang City will carry out the merger according to the Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of district and commune-level administrative units of Da Nang City in the period of 2023-2025.
In Hai Chau district, 13 wards will be merged into 9 wards. However, the merger time coincides with the city's consolidation and dissolution of administrative units. This could affect people's rights, including health insurance cards for poor households, children under 6 years old and social protection beneficiaries (all of whom are entitled to 100% health insurance benefits).
Mr. Van Phu Long - Director of Hai Chau District Social Insurance - said that the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Da Nang City will merge on December 31, 2024. Therefore, from January 1, 2025, ensuring the issuance of cards for 28,299 health insurance cards by the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in the district must be taken into consideration and prepared in advance. No reason should be allowed to affect the health insurance benefits of the people in general and those who are of special concern to the state such as poor households, children under 6 years old, and social protection.
If there is a problem, the health insurance card is not issued in time and the sick people, especially the poor households, are fully covered by the health insurance fund, it will cause noise as well as unpredictable consequences. Meanwhile, there is currently no information about the regulations on carving new seals of new wards as well as the administrative organization of wards and the city.
“The Social Insurance is very worried. Previously, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs only needed to request beneficiaries through the network and we would process them very quickly. But after January 1, 2025, this system will expire, so it is urgent to clarify so as not to interrupt the benefits of the above special subjects. The fact that children born after January 1, 2025, new sponsored subjects... need to be issued health insurance cards will arise every day, so everything needs to be prepared,” said Mr. Long.
Discussing this issue, a representative of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Hai Chau district said that the above issue had been mentioned by the city's Social Insurance, the unit also clearly stated that the merger was a state agency's business, and the rights of the people must still be guaranteed. As every year, the renewal of health insurance cards for the above subjects will be carried out from December, not January of the following year.
So in December, the wards will still send the list to the unit for confirmation and card renewal. In January 2025, when there is a new ward, the decision will only adjust the name of the residential group and ward.
Mr. Le Tu Gia Thanh - Chairman of Hai Chau District People's Committee - said that the current merger of wards is facing many problems, however, the locality will prioritize ensuring the rights of the people, especially the poor, children and social protection.
“Not only the merged wards but also other wards must complete the application for health insurance card renewal for the above subjects in December. However, priority will now be given to the application for the merged wards. The District People's Committee has requested the merged wards to direct the early renewal of insurance cards so that the District Social Insurance can prioritize the processing,” said Mr. Thanh.
