Opposition threatens boycott over health fees

Opposition lawmakers yesterday threatened to boycott cross-party negotiations in the next legislative session if the government carries out its plan to raise health insurance fees.

While branding the latest opposition move as irrational, the DPP caucus and health officials said they would try again to win understanding from the KMT and PFP.

On Saturday, the Department of Health (DOH) announced that it was raising National Health Insurance premiums to 4.55 percent from 4.25 percent of a person's monthly salary, starting on Sept. 1. Outpatients will also have to pay higher fees at hospitals and clinics under the new system. Lawmakers from the opposition KMT and PFP said during a joint news conference that the hikes are unacceptable.

"If the government insists on raising the health insurance fees, we will consider withdrawing from cross-party talks," KMT legislative leader Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) told reporters. "Also, we encourage those who share our displeasure to take to the streets."

Tseng suggested that the health department postpone the hike until after the legislature convenes for the fall session, when he and his colleagues would make the issue a top priority.

Lee Chuan-chia (李全教), another KMT lawmaker, said all parties favor the health program's existence but he doubts that the Bureau of National Health Insurance is financially insecure.

He noted that health officials had earlier said a fee adjustment wouldn't be necessary before the end of next year in light of the bureau's financial condition.

"I see no compelling reason to justify the planned hike," Lee said. "The government had better put it off to avoid angering the public."

DOH Director-General Lee Ming-liang (李明亮) said the plan has been finalized and has won the Cabinet's support.

PFP legislative whip Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) accused the government of treating the people as "automatic teller machines [ATMs]."

With the upcoming hike, the health department promised not to raise the fees again for two years, Liu noted.

"That means it will make a new round of fee adjustments in 2004," he said. "The PFP will not tolerate the government treating the people as ATMs when it needs money."

Health officials have said the health program is in danger of collapse if no reform takes place.

But PFP lawmaker Shen Chih-hwei (沈智慧) dismissed the contention as a lie. She noted that the health insurance bureau gave its employees a bonus worth 4.6 months of salary last Lunar New Year, topping all other government agencies.

"No financially strained institute would act so generously," Shen said, adding that raising fees would not prevent waste or the misuse of medical resources.

DPP legislative whip Wang Tuoh (王拓) called on his opposition colleagues to quit being nonsensical. He said that by demanding a moratorium, the legislature would encroach on the executive branch.

"A hike of less than six percent does not require legislative consent," Wang quoted health codes as saying.

Taking a milder stand, Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), another DPP legislative leader, said his caucus and health officials would make more efforts to communicate with the opposition parties.