Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday called for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration to suspend the implementation of the second-generation National Health Insurance (NHI) premium, saying that it is flawed, and instead urged the government to amend related regulations if necessary.
The mechanism, designed to generate revenue for the financially-stricken NHI, would not achieve its NT$23.6 billion (US$805 million) goal, DPP lawmakers Chen Chieh-ju (陳節如), Liu Chien-kuo (劉建國) and Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) told a press conference.
With 90 days to go before the levy is scheduled for implementation, there are a number of major problems with the controversial supplementary premiums mechanism, Chen Chieh-ju said.
The supplementary premiums — which were added to the proposed new NHI program after the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法) was amended — targets different groups with differing incomes.
The Department of Health had previously proposed that those insured would have to pay a 2 percent premium on any additional income over NT$2,000. That threshold was later raised to NT$5,000.
However, the definition of “bonus” has been vague and it is believed that both insured parties and employers are likely to search for legal loopholes by splitting their savings accounts or listing their bonuses as a separate source of income, Chen Chieh-ju said.
The mechanism could also allow for the abuse of the socially vulnerable, including those who have to work part-time, because under the new system they would have to pay a 2 percent premium on every paycheck, she added.
The premium rates for full-time and part-time workers in the same profession within the new system are different and this amounts to a violation of the principle of fairness as protected by the Constitution, she said.
“The DPP caucus calls for the suspension of the implementation, a thorough review of the mechanism and an amendment of the law if necessary,” she said.
Liu said the complicated mechanism would make collecting premiums a difficult task.
Liu added that if the regular premium rates, which still remain undecided, were reduced from 5.17 percent to 4.91 percent — a tactic to avoid public anger — the NHI is likely to face financial difficulties again in 2016, when President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is no longer in office.
The DPP has always supported scrapping the supplementary premiums mechanism and instead has argued for a premium to be charged based on household income, Chen Ou-po said, adding that raising regular premium rates would be another option.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS