The Taipei Administrative High Court ruled against the Taipei City Government yesterday in a lawsuit challenging the central government's request that it repay its health insurance subsidy debts. The court ruled that the city must pay its health and labor insurance subsidy debts totalling approximately NT$20.8 billion, but the city government is allowed to appeal the ruling within 20 days of the verdict.
The Taipei City Government was sued by the Cabinet's Bureau of National Health Insurance (中央健保局) and Bureau of Labor Insurance (勞工保險局) for not paying its health insurance subsidy debts of NT$10.8 billion, for the period of 1999 to 2002, and NT$10 billion for the periods of 1992 to 1995 and November 2000 to January 2003.
The health and labor insurance bureaus filed the administrative lawsuit against the city after it agreed only to pay the insurance of those people from the city of Taipei, and not those people who have moved to the city and are insured through employers.
Yesterday's verdict gives the green light for both bureaus to have the proper authorities enforce the ruling if the city refuses to pay the money it owes -- regardless an appeal outcome.
"By law, although the defendant [Taipei City Government] is allowed to file an appeal within 20 days, the plaintiffs [the bureaus] are authorized to ask for the enforcement of the verdict to get the money back no matter if an appeal is filed or not," said Chang Chung-wen (張瓊文), spokeswoman for the Taipei Administrative High Court.
The case has been lingering for more than two years. Taipei City Government argued that the central government should pay for health insurance subsidies on their own instead of asking local governments to contribute, a request the city says is against the Constitution. The central government then filed an application to the Council of Grand Justices and asked for an interpretation on the issue.
According to the city, the central government's request violated a local government's right of financial independence.
On Oct. 4, 2002, the grand justices also ruled that the Taipei City Government must pay its debts to the bureaus.
Interpretation Article 550 to the Constitution ruled that the central government's request was both legal and reasonable. As a result, the city's argument that the central government was violating a local governments' rights to financial independence was rendered moot.
In addition, the grand justices ruled that both the central government and the city must cooperate on the issue and reach some sort of agreement , since health insurance is the right of every citizen.
According to Article 27 of the National Health Insurance Law (全民健保法), local governments must pay the health insurance subsidies for all residents of a city.
Also see stories:
MISINFORMATION: The generated content tends to adopt China’s official stance, such as ‘Taiwan is currently governed by the Chinese central government,’ the NSB said Five China-developed artificial intelligence (AI) language models exhibit cybersecurity risks and content biases, an inspection conducted by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The five AI tools are: DeepSeek, Doubao (豆包), Yiyan (文心一言), Tongyi (通義千問) and Yuanbao (騰訊元寶), the bureau said, advising people to remain vigilant to protect personal data privacy and corporate business secrets. The NSB said it, in accordance with the National Intelligence Services Act (國家情報工作法), has reviewed international cybersecurity reports and intelligence, and coordinated with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau and the National Police Agency’s Criminal Investigation Bureau to conduct an inspection of China-made AI language
BOOST IN CONFIDENCE: The sale sends a clear message of support for Taiwan and dispels rumors that US President Donald Trump ‘sold out’ the nation, an expert said The US government on Thursday announced a possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet parts, which was estimated to cost about US$330 million, in a move that an expert said “sends a clear message of support for Taiwan” amid fears that Washington might be wavering in its attitude toward Taipei. It was the first announcement of an arms sale to Taiwan since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House earlier this year. The proposed package includes non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, as well repair and return support for the F-16, C-130 and Indigenous Defense Fighter aircraft,
CHECKING BOUNDARIES: China wants to disrupt solidarity among democracies and test their red lines, but it is instead pushing nations to become more united, an expert said The US Department of State on Friday expressed deep concern over a Chinese public security agency’s investigation into Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) for “secession.” “China’s actions threaten free speech and erode norms that have underpinned the cross-strait ‘status quo’ for decades,” a US Department of State spokesperson said. The Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau late last month listed Shen as “wanted” and launched an investigation into alleged “secession-related” criminal activities, including his founding of the Kuma Academy, a civil defense organization that prepares people for an invasion by China. The spokesperson said that the US was “deeply concerned” about the bureau investigating Shen
LIMITS: While China increases military pressure on Taiwan and expands its use of cognitive warfare, it is unwilling to target tech supply chains, the report said US and Taiwan military officials have warned that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could implement a blockade within “a matter of hours” and need only “minimal conversion time” prior to an attack on Taiwan, a report released on Tuesday by the US Senate’s China Economic and Security Review Commission said. “While there is no indication that China is planning an imminent attack, the United States and its allies and partners can no longer assume that a Taiwan contingency is a distant possibility for which they would have ample time to prepare,” it said. The commission made the comments in its annual
RSS