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Ma backs DOH minister’s insurance reform

President Ma Ying-jeou, front left, smiles before giving the opening address at Taiwan Medical Week — the annual seminar of the Formosan Medical Association — at the Taipei International Convention Center. Ma is joined by Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih-liang, front right. PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FONG, TAIPEI TIMES

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday gave his backing to Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih-liang’s (楊志良) plans to reform the National Health Insurance scheme.

“I understand that [Yaung] has been under lots of pressure. I endorse and support his policy for reforming the National Health Insurance,” Ma said during the opening speech of the annual seminar of the Formosan Medical Association at the Taipei International Convention Center yesterday.

Ma said that the National Health Insurance has been extremely popular since its launch in 1994. While the current medical budget accounted for 6.7 percent of GDP, Ma said, the end goal for the government would be to raise it to 7.5 percent.

“I know that many workers are not happy with Yaung’s policy to raise premiums but that is the direction we need to go,” the president said.

Meanwhile, the president said that he was satisfied and confident about A(H1N1) influenza vaccines made by Adimmune (國光生技), a local manufacturer.

“Our foreign allies were surprised when they learned that we are capable of producing our own swine flu vaccines. This really means something, in terms of elevating Taiwan’s international position and image.” — President Ma Ying-jeou

“Our foreign allies were surprised when they learned that we are capable of producing our own swine flu vaccines. This ­really means something, in terms of elevating Taiwan’s international position and image,” Ma said.

Approached prior to the event, Yaung said he had no problems communicating with the president.

“If he is unhappy with my performance and wanted me to leave, I would not be here talking to you,” Yaung said.

Regarding the National Health Insurance scheme’s financial problems, Yaung said that he was worried about potential bankruptcy.

“It is like a drought. The reservoir is drying out, but there is no rain. Expenses for insurance are increasing, now that we have more senior citizens and fewer younger people,” Yaung said. “We at the DOH are doing all that we can to solve this problem.”

Meanwhile, the minister again urged the public not to panic over US beef. He said that risks ­associated with eating US beef are “minimal.”

The minister said that it is the government’s job to make ample information regarding the US beef issue freely available so the public does not panic and can make their own decisions whether they want to eat US beef.

At a separate event later in the day, Ma reiterated the promise that the government would only import US beef from cattle younger than 30 months to ensure public safety.

Ma said the risk of getting mad cow disease by consuming US ground beef, bone-in beef and internal organs was extremely low, and said the government would tighten inspection measures to ensure that the meat on the market met standards.

“The government will demand government bodies tighten gate-keeping measures and communicate with the public that US beef is basically safe,” he said yesterday during a meeting at Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) headquarters in his capacity as party chairman.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH
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