The latest planned hike in health-insurance fees yesterday drew strong protests from health groups and opposition lawmakers and civic groups, who accused the government of looting the public in order to extend favor to medical institutes.
They urged people to join hands and boycott the proposed measures that are slated to take effect on Sept. 1.
"I don't see why health officials insist on raising health-insurance fees but turn a blind eye to the misuse of resources by medical institutes," said Liu Mei-chun (劉梅君), executive director of the Taiwan Health Reform Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Taipei.
She noted that in 1997 alone the Bureau of National Health Insurance collected NT$118 million in fines from 263 medical institutes for exaggerated or faked expenses.
Liu, whose foundation is devoted to investigating health fraud, said she suspected the figure was merely the tip of the iceberg.
"The Department of Health should crack down on unscrupulous medical institutes before seeking to increase health-insurance fees," she said, branding the planned hike a government scheme to rob the average citizen and give the booty to health institutes.
As of December 2000, the health bureau had signed contracts with 16,332 medical institutes nationwide to provide services for the insured.
Liu said her foundation will not tolerate unjust practices and urged the public to boycott the new system.
She said that the Consumers' Foundation, the Chinese Psychology Association and other civic groups share her indignation.
Meanwhile, the two opposition caucuses demanded the health bureau disclose its balance sheet so the public can determine whether the planned hike is necessary to keep the program afloat.
"If the bureau is indeed running out of money, I think most people would go along with the fee increase," PFP legislative leader Shen Chih-hwei (
"However, I suspect mismanage-ment, more than anything else, has accounted for its financial predicament," Shen said.
She noted that the bureau, while whining about a lack of cash, gave its employees a generous bonus in February for the Lunar New Year.
Shen, whose party threatened Friday to stage a massive street protest, said health officials will pay another visit to the PFP caucus Monday afternoon. Shen said the officials should brace for an intense interrogation.
Echoing the criticism, the KMT caucus said the timing of the fee hike is politically motivated.
KMT Legislator Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) said that the government has decided to raise the fees now for fear that any change later may have a negative impact on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) bid for re-election in 2004.
"That is why the health department backtracked on its promise not to raise the fees before the end of 2003," he said.
Lee said his party will not accommodate the DPP administration's whim and added that the health bureau should first seek to fill its budget shortfall by collecting debts owed by local governments.
He advised the government to postpone dealing with the issue until the legislature reconvenes in September.
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