Newly-appointed Director-general of the Department of Health (DOH) Lee Ming-liang
Lee said the group is led by the National Health Research Institute (國家衛生研究院) and is made up of consumer representatives, doctors and public health workers.
"I know politics are troublesome, but I am ready to confront it," Lee said. "Seeking the greatest balance of interests [public health insurance for everyone] will be the priority [issue] during my term," Lee said, adding that the group will look for a feasible -- rather than an idealistic -- solution.
"Public health awareness will be another emphasis of my future policy. I will promise to implement better public health education during my term."
Lee also pointed to other problems in the health care system.
"In the past Taiwan focused on medical treatment but overlooked overall public health," Lee said -- a practice he said he would like to change.
The issue of public health insurance looms large as a potential burden for the new government due to its heavy financial losses, as well as a controversial debate over the possibility of raising insurance premiums.
Official statistics show local governments owe debts to the central government because of public health insurance expenditures amounting to the tune of NT$28,400,000,000 -- the main source of the insurance program's deficit.
A group of 15 lawmakers brought problems and suggestions regarding health-related issues to Lee's attention yesterday, focusing mainly on whether public health insurance is a form of social welfare or an insurance system -- each of which requires a different approach.
Lee said he had no predisposed attitude toward the notion, saying that should be decided by the public. "If the people want it to be social welfare, they should be mentally prepared to pay more taxes for it."
Another problem brought up by the group was the imbalance of subsidies in public health insurance, a problem which has caused an overcrowding of patients in large-scale hospitals, while leaving regional hospitals or clinics virtually empty.
"This will make community hospitals disappear," said DPP legislator Chen Chao-nan (陳昭南).
Some said the subsidy problem was widely believed to be the main reason for the lack of surgeons in Taiwan, because the system treats both general practioners and specialists the same when it comes to subsidy payments.
"It's really a very serious problem," Lee admitted. "I am afraid there could be no surgeons left in 10 years."
Lee said the ad hoc group will look into all the facts of public health insurance, but added much would depend on public response.
"Decisions have to depend on public consensus," Lee said.
Lee is currently the president of the Tzu Chi College of Medicine and Humanities -- and lawmakers attending the meeting later said he had responded to their questions and suggestions in a frank and straightforward way -- which they described as the "scholar's style."
A Chinese aircraft carrier group entered Japan’s economic waters over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said yesterday. The Liaoning aircraft carrier, two missile destroyers and one fast combat supply ship sailed about 300km southwest of Japan’s easternmost island of Minamitori on Saturday, a ministry statement said. It was the first time a Chinese aircraft carrier had entered that part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a ministry spokesman said. “We think the Chinese military is trying to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas,” the spokesman said. China’s growing
Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
PUBLIC WARNING: The two students had been tricked into going to Hong Kong for a ‘high-paying’ job, which sent them to a scam center in Cambodia Police warned the public not to trust job advertisements touting high pay abroad following the return of two college students over the weekend who had been trafficked and forced to work at a cyberscam center in Cambodia. The two victims, surnamed Lee (李), 18, and Lin (林), 19, were interviewed by police after landing in Taiwan on Saturday. Taichung’s Chingshui Police Precinct said in a statement yesterday that the two students are good friends, and Lin had suspended her studies after seeing the ad promising good pay to work in Hong Kong. Lee’s grandfather on Thursday reported to police that Lee had sent
A Chinese ship ran aground in stormy weather in shallow waters off a Philippines-controlled island in the disputed South China Sea, prompting Filipino forces to go on alert, Philippine military officials said yesterday. When Philippine forces assessed that the Chinese fishing vessel appeared to have run aground in the shallows east of Thitu Island (Jhongye Island, 中業島) on Saturday due to bad weather, Philippine military and coast guard personnel deployed to provide help, but later saw that the ship had been extricated, Philippine navy regional spokesperson Ellaine Rose Collado said. No other details were immediately available, including if there were injuries among
RSS