The debate over the new fees of the national health insurance system raged on yesterday as opposition lawmakers vowed to stage a massive protest if the Bureau of National Health Insurance insists on raising premium and co-payment rates.
Meanwhile, President Chen Shui-bian (
PFP lawmaker Lin Hui-kuan (
The bureau has said it will adjust the fees upward, effective Sept. 1, to help ease its financial woes. The Department of Health (DOH) has voiced support for the planned hikes, which do not require legislative approval to go into effect.
But Lin argued that the legislature adopted a resolution during its last session that orders the bureau to obtain consent from its Sanitation, Environment, and Social Welfare Committee before seeking to tinker with the fee payments.
"The bureau probably thinks it can get around legislative oversight by making the policy change during the summer recess," said Lin, a former labor union leader.
He threatened to organize a massive street protest at the end of August if the government fails to heed his plea.
Fellow PFP lawmaker Kao Ming-chien (
But Kao said that medical institutions are to blame, as they tend to prescribe loosely in a bid to boost their revenue.
He suggested that the government contribute more funds to the health insurance program, which accounts for only 5.35 percent of the nation's GDP.
"The figure is rather low in comparison with those in advanced countries such as Japan, Canada, Germany and the US," Kao said.
The health insurance program, introduced in 1995, derives almost all its funding from premium revenue that is shared or subsidized, in various proportions, by the insured, their employers and the government.
Beneficiaries are also required to co-pay a portion of medical costs to prevent the wasting and misuse of medical recourses.
During a public appearance, President Chen said it is time to review the program and decide whether it should continue to exist or be terminated.
"Shortly after the power transfer [in May 2000], DOH Director-general Lee Ming-liang (
The financing of the health insurance system is built around the "pay as you go" concept, which means the collection of premiums and the payment of medical expenses happens at the same time.
"We can't expect the program to stay viable while denying it the necessary funding," the president said.
The health program allows those who are insured to obtain comprehensive medical care -- including health prevention, clinical care, hospitalization and social rehabilitation. As of December 2000, it has enrolled over 21 million citizens, or 96 percent of the population.
Chen conceded, however, that there is ample room for the service to improve and that the DOH cannot shake its responsibility for the cash shortage.
The main opposition KMT pointed out that the DOH promised earlier this year not to raise fees before the end of 2003 when it sought support for revisions to health laws.
"How can the department make such a turnabout within such a short period of time?" KMT legislative leader Tseng Yung-chuan asked reporters later in the day.
Tseng said his party would take drastic measures if the Cabinet goes through with the plan to increase fees.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
Central and southern Taiwan are to see increasingly heavy rainfall from last night through Friday due to the effects of a low-pressure system and southwesterly winds, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said Tropical Storm Co-May had weakened into a low-pressure system on Saturday, but that it strengthened again into a tropical depression (TD 11) near the seas around Japan's Ryukyu Islands due to favorable environmental conditions. The tropical depression is expected to persist for two to three days, moving west-northwest by this afternoon and reaching China's Zhejiang through the East China Sea tomorrow,
RSS