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Cabinet unveils insurance plan for the disadvantaged

The Cabinet yesterday announced plans to help low-income families who are in arrears with health insurance premiums, responding to a call made by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) on Wednesday.

The government will write off the unpaid premiums of low-income households and near low-income households, which amounts to around NT$800 million (US$24.78 million), Executive Yuan Secretary-General Chen Chin-jin (陳景峻) said.

BENEFIT

It is estimated that 25,000 people will benefit from the proposal, he said at a news conference yesterday.

Half of the unpaid premium would be disbursed from the Executive Yuan's Second Reserve Fund, initially earmarked to be used for emergency spending in the event of a disaster and the rest will be obtained from the feedback fund of lottery revenues, Chen said.

Chen called a press conference to reveal the proposal, in wake of an appeal Hsieh made when he was sworn in as DPP party chairman on Wednesday.

DELIBERATING

But Chen said the government has been deliberating the proposal that would "deliver warmth to poor households in a cold winter" since last year.

Some measures have been implemented by the Bureau of National Health Insurance to assist the economically disadvantaged pay the premiums, such as installment plans and low-interest loans, but they fell short, Chen said.

"Thanks to the proposal, economically-disadvantaged people will not be forced to face the legal procedures of debts reclamation and have more room to seek opportunities to improve their lives," he said.
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