Information about the case of issuing fake sick leave certificates to employees was announced by the leader of Vietnam Social Security at the second quarter press conference organized by Vietnam Social Security on the afternoon of June 5.

According to Mr. Nguyen The Manh, General Director of Vietnam Social Security, the case of many clinics in Dong Nai being searched is actually a case of collusion between the clinics and the workers. The workers still receive that amount of money, the clinics do not sign for themselves and receive that amount of money.

"We pay into the employee's account when they agree to sign the sick leave certificate. We check, verify and detect it. Without this step, social insurance and health insurance fraud would be huge. 4-5 years ago, social insurance fraud was rampant, but now it has basically been limited," said Mr. Manh.

Regarding the case of issuing fake sick leave certificates, Mr. Le Van Phuc, Head of the Health Insurance Policy Implementation Department (Vietnam Social Insurance), said that the issuance of sick leave certificates in violation of regulations had occurred in some localities. The Social Insurance Agency was aware of this and issued many documents directing localities to review, inspect, examine and closely coordinate with relevant agencies.

Mr. Phuc informed: "The issuance of sick leave certificates occurs at two types of medical examination and treatment facilities: medical examination and treatment facilities with contracts with the Social Insurance agency and facilities without contracts with the Social Insurance agency.

There is a "collusion" between the medical examination and treatment facility and the employee. There are cases where people who are not sick are still examined and diagnosed to issue sick leave certificates. More than a year ago, we had to deal with a case of a company whose employees took too many days off, so the company requested a review. It was the Social Insurance Agency that discovered it and transferred it to the police for investigation and clarification."

"On June 4, we sent a document to the Ministry of Health requesting direction to the health department and affiliated medical examination and treatment facilities to implement the issue of appraisal, payment and issuance of sick leave certificates to avoid cases like what happened," said Mr. Phuc.

Accordingly, Vietnam Social Security requested the Ministry of Health to direct the health departments of provinces and cities to strengthen inspection and examination of the implementation of health insurance examination and treatment at medical examination and treatment facilities in the area, especially private medical facilities.

For medical examination and treatment facilities identified as having committed acts of profiteering from the Social Insurance and Health Insurance Fund, the Department of Health shall coordinate with the Social Insurance of the province and city to impose administrative sanctions for violations in the health sector according to the provisions of Decree No. 117/2020/ND-CP dated September 28, 2020 of the Government; Article 23 of Decree No. 146/2018/ND-CP dated October 17, 2018 of the Government...

Regarding the incident in Dong Nai, the Social Insurance said that according to the report of the Social Insurance of Dong Nai province, the issuance of certificates of leave to enjoy social insurance benefits for 6 general clinics in Dong Nai province was not in accordance with regulations such as: patients who did not go to the clinic were still issued certificates of leave to enjoy social insurance benefits; doctors did not go to work at the clinic but still signed to issue certificates of leave to enjoy social insurance benefits; even though they were not sick, they still prescribed tests, diagnostic imaging, medicine... to take advantage of the Social Insurance and Health Insurance Funds.

On June 3, Dong Nai Department of Health sent an urgent document to the provincial Social Insurance Department agreeing to temporarily suspend health insurance examination and treatment contracts for 4 private clinics in Bien Hoa City (Dong Nai), including: Tan Long General Clinic, Long Binh Tan (Long Binh Tan Ward); Tam Duc (Tan Hiep Ward) and My Duc International General Clinic (Long Binh Ward), due to their involvement in the case of issuing fake leave certificates to profit from the Social Insurance and Health Insurance Fund.