Taiwan Today

The second-generation national health insurance will base premiums on total household income, do away with short-term cancellations for travel abroad and provide a waiting period for expatriates, officials said April 1. The Executive Yuan is due to review amendments to the National Health Insurance Act next week. Minister of Health Yaung Chih-liang called on legislators April 1 to drum up support for the proposed revisions, while the NHI Supervisory Committee met to exchange views. Although most committee members agreed that basing premiums on total household income would help increase the fee basis, there were differences of opinion as to the definition of “total household income.” Chu Tong-kuang, deputy convener of the NHI Task Force, pointed out that for now calculations can only be based on categories covered by income tax. Eva Teng, spokeswoman for the National Health Insurance Civic Surveillance Alliance, said for the second-generation plan to meet the goal of equitableness, in addition to salaries, year-end bonuses and rental income, capital gains such as profits from stock and real estate deals should also be included in the calculations. Chu said the second-generation NHI will no longer allow for cancellation of coverage and premium payments for trips outside the country lasting under two years. However, to provide for students studying abroad and government personnel posted overseas, the draft bill states that anyone whose household registration and NHI coverage lapse because they are out of the country for two years will be eligible for immediate coverage upon return. They will, however, have to pay premiums for the period in which coverage was cancelled. Those who are abroad over four years and have not had coverage in the last two years will have to wait four months after returning to the island before they can be covered and receive medical treatment with NHI benefits. Another revision directed at the nearly NT$100 billion (US$3.15 billion) NHI deficit clearly states that government funds will be appropriated on an annual basis to make up losses. To prevent the reoccurrence of accumulated NHI premium debts by Taipei and Kaohsiung cities, the central government will be responsible for all government-paid premiums. (THN)