Life

Taiwan’s Legislature mulls NHI card living will bill

• Publication Date：12/31/2010
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  June Tsai

Taiwan’s National Health Insurance cards may soon be legally recognized as living wills if amendments to the Hospice Palliative Care Act are passed by the Legislature, according to the DOH Dec. 30.

Under the proposed changes, physicians will legally be able to follow advance health-care directives such as do-not-resuscitate orders noted on NHI cards. At present, this is impossible without the original signed document.

“The new law will help reduce physical and psychological harm to patients and family members, as well as resolve legal and ethical dilemmas,” said Shih Chung-liang, director of the DOH Bureau of Medical Affairs.

Shih said more than 60,000 Taiwanese have living wills, but only 34,000 have this noted on their NHI cards.

The bill, which has the backing of 51 legislators, is likely to pass third reading Jan. 5, 2011, Shih said. (JSM)