Municipal preschoolers will be liable for hospital registration fees after the Taipei City government implements a new medical subsidy program today.
Low-income preschoolers, however, and those under the age of 12 suffering from serious ailments or rare diseases are covered under the new program and are entitled to more medical benefits.
The city has a population of preschoolers estimated at 220,000.
"We encourage those who meet the criteria to start applying today for their subsidy certificates at health offices in their district," said Chiou Shu-ti, the deputy director of the city's Bureau of Health (衛生局), at a press conference yesterday, adding that only certificate holders are entitled to the benefits.
The city had originally planned to implement a new medical subsidy scheme on Jan. 1 this year.
But, it was forced to extend the old program until today and make the current adjustments, after the central government decided on Dec. 29 last year to halt the national medical subsidy program for children under the age of three.
The national program was one of President Chen Shui-bian's (
The "333 family welfare program" (
However, Chen could not make good on his promise because of strong opposition in the Legislative Yuan and the 2.1 percent budget cut this year.
Although the new medical plan is not one of Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
Although the new scheme, dubbed the Taipei City Child Medical Subsidy Program (
In addition, low-income preschoolers and those under 12 suffering from serious or rare ailments are entitled to a maximum of NT$1,000 per day per person and NT$14,000 in total per year whenever their medical bills are not covered by the national health insurance.
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