Consultants for SHI Law Revision

Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Vietnam

TWO NATIONAL CONSULTANTS

For technical support on the revision and completion of the revised SHI Law to submit for the National Assembly's approval; and development of a new Decree adjusting the SHI premium rate

I. BACKGROUND OF THE ASSIGNMENT

1. Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Vietnam Activity

The global USAID LHSS Activity helps low- and middle-income countries transition to sustainable, self-funded health finance systems that support high-performing overall health systems. The LHSS activity in Vietnam will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to advance greater local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control. Led by Abt Associates, the four-year activity supports Vietnam in increasing its domestic financing for HIV and TB services in the context of declining donor funding, in using government resources more efficiently, and in assuming local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control activities. Specific objectives are: (1) Support the GVN to strengthen its public financial management systems for public sector health and find greater efficiencies in social health insurance (SHI), (2) Increase and improve the efficiency of domestic financing of HIV prevention and treatment services; (3) Strengthen the capacity of Vietnam’s supply chain management system; and (4) Integrate TB services into SHI.

2. Context of this assignment

Prevention is a critical part of the overall HIV response, but Vietnam's Social Health Insurance (SHI) Law restricts coverage to curative HIV services only. HIV preventive services have been excluded from SHI to date and instead have mainly been donor funded. Since 2019 the MOH)/DHI has developed a plan for revising the SHI Law and has been working intensely to pursue such an agenda.

The USAID Sustainable Financing for HIV (SFG) project, the precursor project to LHSS, worked closely with and provided technical support to the MOH/DHI, MOH/Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), and Vietnam Social Security (VSS) to advocate for the inclusion of prioritized HIV prevention services into the SHI benefit package (PrEP package, HIV testing, and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) package). The SFG project conducted analysis and estimations of the additional liability for the SHI fund for 2022 – 2026 that showed the inclusion of specific HIV prevention services into SHI would have a negligible financial impact on the SHI scheme. This evidence was used to support the MOH/DHI to advocate for the inclusion of HIV prevention services into the revised SHI Law through various technical meetings, advocacy workshops, and policy dialogues. Currently, the MOH/DHI is preparing to send the SHI Law revision proposal package to the National Assembly, tentatively scheduled between September – October 2021. The LHSS project will continue to provide technical assistance to the MOH/DHI in the final revision of the draft revised SHI Law and facilitate the SHI Law revision project for the National Assembly's approval.

Increased the SHI premium rate is one of the new points proposed in the draft revised SHI Law. To facilitate the implementation of this policy as the revised SHI Law takes effect, the MOH/DHI will develop a new Decree on adjustment of the SHI premium rate. LHSS will also support the MOH/DHI in the development of this Decree.

LHSS will engage two national consultants to provide technical assistance and work with the MOH/DHI on this portfolio of activities. The first Consultant - senior national Consultant will be the resource person to support TWG in SHI Law revision in writing and reviewing the SHI Law dossier preparation, facilitating and presenting in any policy dialogues and inter-ministerial meetings. The second Consultant will support the TWG on SHI Law revision and the SHI writing team on consolidating all comments and technical documents, preparing and organizing technical meetings and workshops on SHI law revision, and coordinating with different MOH departments and other related ministries.

II.  TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

1.    Senior National Consultant 1: Provide technical inputs and advisory supports for the TWG on SHI Law revision

Tasks

• Support the TWG on SHI Law revision to write up and prepare and review the SHI Law revised dossier with supporting documents to submit to the Government's National Assembly and Office of the Government.
• Present and facilitate in any policy dialogue to advocate for the revision of the Law and inclusion of HIV prevention services in the revised SHI benefit package.
• Provide technical inputs and advisory supports to the MOH/DHI to complete the SHI Law revision proposal package to submit for the National Assembly's approval, including completing the report on the SHI Law Revision project to the National Assembly.
• Provide technical inputs, and advisory supports to MOH/DHI in meetings, technical discussions, and workshops to finalize the draft revised SHI Law to submit for the National Assembly's approval.
• Take the focal role in evidence-based advocacy to include selected HIV prevention services in the revised SHI law.
• Provide technical inputs/comments on the implementation report of the current SHI law and policy impact reports of the revised SHI law (i.e., reports on economic impacts, legal and administrative procedure impacts, social and gender impacts, etc.)
• Provide technical inputs, and advisory supports to the MOH/DHI to develop a Decree on SHI premium rate adjustment.

To complete the task, the Consultant must participate in different meetings, technical discussions, and consultation workshops with the SHI law drafting team, key stakeholders from MOH, MOH/DHI, VSS, etc., to provide expert inputs and advisory ideas.

Deliverables

• Monthly activity report in the format of email bulleted updates on the progress of conducting the tasks. The monthly report will include expert technical inputs and advisory ideas on the SHI Law revision process and the development of the Decree on adjustment of SHI premium rate. Due:  On the last day of each month.
• Revised SHI Law Dossier with supporting documents.
• Notes of any meetings with MOH, National Assembly, VSS, and line ministries/organizations on this assignment.

2.    Consultant 2: Provide technical inputs, consolidate technical comments and manage/update revised SHI dossier documents.

Task

• Take the focal role in preparing documents and organizing related meetings, technical discussions, or consultation workshops on SHI Law revision, including coordinating feedback on the draft revision from all vital ministries and agencies. He/she is also the focal point to work with related departments within MOH, VSS, and other agencies.
• Provide technical assistance to DHI/MOH on the process of SHI Law revision to bring evidence on selected cost-effective HIV prevention services and advocate for inclusion in the revised SHI Law. The task also includes documenting input and changes according to advice taken from related meetings or technical discussions on SHI Law revision
• Work closely with MOH/DHI to coordinate among MOH, DHI, expert team, and key stakeholders to prepare the SHI Law revision dossier package for submission to the National Assembly and Office of the Government.
• Provide expert inputs to the MOH/DHI for completion of the SHI Law revision proposal package and the draft revised SHI law revision to submit for the National Assembly's approval.
• Consolidating expert and technical inputs, comments from key stakeholders in related meetings, technical discussions, workshops on the SHI Law revision. Manage the changes and updated versions of the draft revised SHI law.
• Provide expert inputs/comments on the implementation report of the current SHI law and policy impact reports of the revised SHI law (i.e., reports on economic impacts, legal and administrative procedure impacts, social and gender impacts, etc.).
• Provide expert inputs to the MOH/DHI in developing the content of the Decree on adjustment of SHI premium rate.

To complete the task, the Consultant must participate in different meetings, technical discussions, and consultation workshops with the SHI law drafting team, key stakeholders from MOH, MOH/DHI, VSS, etc., to provide expert inputs.

Deliverables

• Monthly activity report in the format of email bulleted updates on the progress of conducting the tasks and a tentative plan for next month. The monthly report will involve the consolidation of technical inputs on the SHI Law revision process and developing the Decree on adjustment of SHI premium rate. Due:  On the last day of each month.
• Consolidated technical documents for the SHI revised law dossiers.
• Notes of any meetings with MOH, National Assembly, VSS, and line ministries/organizations on this assignment.

III. LOCATION AND TIMING

1. Location  

The work will be carried out in Hanoi, traveling to the provinces, if needed.

2. Timing   

The assignment is planned for the period from April 2021 through August 2021.

IV. REQUIREMENTS

1. Qualification requirements

• Ph.D. (compulsory for consultant 1) or master’s degree in health or public policy management, health insurance, and public policy management is preferred.
• A strong understanding of the policy development context of social health insurance.
• In-depth knowledge and experience with law(s) (revision) processes.
• Strong understanding of consultation and advocacy needs with the National Assembly (for consultant 1) and GVN
• Excellent communication skills and ability to transfer knowledge and skills.
• A good command of English, written and spoken.
• Computer proficiency for written deliverables in standard MS Office software applications.

2. Equipment

The consultants use his/her computer and equipment as necessary to carry out the work.

Note:   With respect to any reports, data, or information produced by the Consultant in the course of performing tasks under this work order, Abt Associates shall have unlimited rights to use, disclose, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, perform publicly and display publicly, in any manner and for any purpose, and to have or permit others to do so.  The Consultant will fully disclose, deliver, and transfer to Abt Associates and the Consultant irrevocably assigns to Abt Associates its entire right, title, and interest in and to any and all ideas, methods, inventions, devices, and improvements, originating, conceived, acquired, or developed by the Consultant, either solely or jointly with others, in connections with this Consulting Agreement. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive expiration or termination of this Consulting Agreement.

To apply, please send your application documents to the following email: [email protected]

Deadline: 17th Apr 2021

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.