Department of Health (DOH, 衛生署) Director Lee Ming-liang (李明亮) announced yesterday that starting Sept. 1, National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums would rise to 4.55 percent of a person's monthly salary.
In addition, outpatients can expect charges of up to NT$710 per visit at the point of treatment.
The director made the announcement at a press conference, saying that the plan had been finalized and has won Cabinet support.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-TE, TAIPEI TIMES
While an increase in charges had been forecast, the hike in treatment fees announced yesterday was less severe than had been mooted by the director himself.
Earlier discussions hinted that outpatients would pay up to 20 percent of the entire cost of treatment at teaching and regional hospitals and 15 percent at local hospitals. This would have resulted in some outpatients paying up to NT$1,500 per hospital visit.
The system announced yesterday, however, introduces a fixed registration fee and an examination fee, though the latter will be payable only at teaching hospitals and regional hospitals and is subject to a maximum rate of NT$300.
The announcement of the scheme yesterday followed harsh criticism and complaints from opposition parties, medical organizations and associations of patients with serious medical conditions.
Lee and other senior DOH officials briefed Premier Yu Shyi-kun on the plans yesterday morning.
"The premier said that he respects and supports the new plans," Lee said.
"But he stressed that the changes must be instituted to ensure fairness and to prevent the possible waste of medical resources. They must be made with minimum impact on the public and must protect the underprivileged. Finally, the DOH must enhance its communications with the public and with civic groups," Lee said.
Premiums will rise from the current maximum of 4.25 percent to 4.55 percent of patients' monthly salaries, making for increases of between NT$17 and NT$79 in monthly contributions. Patients earning more than NT$87,600 per month, currently paying a fixed premium of NT$1,116 per month, will pay NT$1,195.
Military veterans and the unemployed will be exempt from the rise.
The DOH, however, says that 90 percent of patients will only pay an additional NT$41 per month and that the 3-percent increase will save the Bureau of National Health Insurance about NT$20.5 billion per year.
"The additional revenue will enable the NHI program to function for another two years," said Lee.
Registration fees for outpatient treatment will increase from NT$100 to NT$140 at regional hospitals, and NT$150 to NT$210 at teaching hospitals.
A charge of 20 percent of the cost of all examinations, including those for x-rays and blood tests, up to a maximum of NT$300, will also be levied at such hospitals.
The current medication charge of NT$20 for every additional NT$100 of cost price over a base of NT$100 but up to a maximum charge of NT$200 at all institutions will remain unchanged.
A patient visiting a teaching hospital, could, under the new fee schedule, be charged as much as NT$710.
Fees will remain unchanged at clinics and local hospitals, where outpatients pay a registration fee of NT$50.
Underprivileged groups such as those on low incomes, the physically or mentally handicapped, children under three years of age, residents of remote areas and those suffering from chronic or critical disease will be subject to reduced fees or full exemptions.
The rise in outpatient fees is expected to save the NHI about NT$3 billion per year.
"The reasons for increasing the outpatient fees are to prevent the waste of medical resources and to prevent people from going to regional or teaching hospitals for the treatment of minor illnesses," Lee said.
The premium rate will be frozen for the next two years, but the rise in the outpatient fees will be reassessed in 6 months for possible adjustment, Lee said.
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