National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums are to be raised next year in line with adjustments to wages, which would affect about 8.21 million people, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday.
Of those affected, 7.71 million are to see their monthly premiums increase slightly by an average of NT$21 (US$0.64), while 100,000 would see an average maximum increase of NT$831 and 400,000 would pay less, the ministry said.
The adjustments would result in an NT$8.6 billion injection of funds into the healthcare sector, it added.
Photo: Taipei Times
In response to the minimum wage being raised to NT$28,590 from NT$27,470, the ministry revised the NHI’s premiums table, increasing the amounts.
Those primarily affected by the adjustments are employees; those who are self-employed or independent; those with no fixed employers, but who are in occupational unions; and farmers, fishers or members of conservancy associations, it said.
Since 2021, income growth for high-income earners has outpaced that of low-income earners, Department of Social Insurance deputy head Chen Chen-hui (陳真慧) said.
To ensure equal access to insurance, the maximum premium amount has been adjusted from NT$219,500 to NT$313,000. That would affect 100,000 people with an average monthly increase of NT$831, Chen said.
Meanwhile, of the 400,000 who would be paying less, 370,000 would have their premiums reduced by NT$4 to NT$6, while 30,000 would have reductions of NT$508 to NT$603.
The limit on out-of-pocket expenses for hospitalizations has also been adjusted, increasing from NT$50,000 to NT$51,000 for a single visit and NT$84,000 to NT$86,000 for the year, the ministry said.
That is not applicable for those with severe illnesses or from low-income households, the ministry added.
About 10,800 people would be affected, and it is expected to bring in NT$11.98 million to the insurance system, the ministry said.
The National Health Insurance Administration has also approved a special temporary fund of NT$5 billion for new cancer drugs which are intended to be part of treatment options, but are not yet covered due to budget limitations.
Other changes next year include updating the classification of diseases to more precisely diagnose people, and expanding the integrated care program to new areas and increase its service capacity to 50,000 people.
The Health Promotion Administration is also expanding subsidies for preventive health checkups next year to include those aged 30 to 39, and would be offered once every five years. The subsidy amount per checkup would also increase from NT$520 to NT$880.
Health checkups for people aged 40 to 65 are free once every three years, and includes a physical examination, blood tests, kidney tests and health consultations. People aged 65 or older, indigenous people aged 55 or older, and polio patients aged 35 or older may receive the checkup once a year.
Cancer screenings for colon cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer are also to be expanded starting next year, and would have a NT$6.8 billion budget. It is estimated that cancer screenings could reach 12 million by 2030.
The National Pension Insurance rate is being increased from 10 percent to 10.5 percent, increasing the average monthly premium of about 2.39 million people by NT$39.
About 130,000 people from low-income households or with severe disabilities who are fully subsidized by the government would not be affected.
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