NHI may nix opt-out option: committee – 台北時報

REDUCING BUDGET DEFICIT:
The potential effects of measures that might lead to higher medical bills for 15.65 million people would need to be studied further, it said

Most members of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Committee support a proposal to stop overseas Taiwanese from suspending NHI premium payments and immediately resuming coverage upon returning to Taiwan, committee Executive Secretary Chou Shu-wan (周淑婉) said on Friday.

The committee — convened earlier that day to review those and several other measures proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to remedy the NHI’s budget deficit — also in principle supports raising the highest premium band, which has remained at NT$182,000 (US$6,495) for 12 years, to NT$219,500, she said.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) in late 2020 said that the NHI should prioritize finding an alternative to the scheme, which enables people staying abroad for six months or more to suspend payments, but immediately resume coverage upon re-entering Taiwan.

Photo: CNA

Alternative proposals to the scheme include requiring continuous payments from Taiwanese abroad who wish to resume coverage upon return.

Ministry Department of Social Insurance Director Shang Tung-fu (商東福) said the requirement would make the system fairer and increase the NHI’s income by NT$2.6 billion.

However, some committee members said the reform should also address the needs of Taiwanese stranded abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Chou said.

While the members in principle supported the plan by the NHI Administration (NHIA) to raise the highest premium band, some urged it to gain a clearer idea of wage levels in different sectors before implementing such changes, she said.

However, some members questioned whether increases of maximum test, drug and emergency treatment charges should be implemented as proposed by the NHIA, Chou said.

The NHIA suggested that the cap on copayments for drugs be raised by about 20 percent to NT$300 and copayments for medical tests raising by NT$100 to NT$400.

It also proposed raising the cap on copayments for emergency treatments at medical center-level hospitals from NT$550 to NT$800 for patients with mild illnesses, while lowering the maximum charge for those with serious conditions from NT$450 to NT$300.

The NHIA estimated that these changes would affect 15.65 million people, about 2.89 million of whom would pay less than NT$200 in additional annual medical fees.

However, about 753,000 people would face additional medical costs of more than NT$3,000 per year, it said.

The committee deliberated the NHIA’s proposals for more than three hours, but concluded that more research into their potential effects was needed, Chou said.

The committee’s conclusion would be presented to Chen, who would have the final say, she added.

Shang said the ministry was seeking to raise the premium band and medical charges by July.

However, shelving the opt-out scheme for overseas Taiwanese would additionally require amendments to several laws, Shang said.

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