The Executive Yuan yesterday approved expanded subsidies for residents of long-term care facilities, allocating NT$16.62 billion (US$526.82 million) to the plan expected to benefit about 105,000 people.
Under the new plan, the maximum monthly subsidy for people with moderate to severe disabilities residing in long-term care facilities would rise from NT$10,000 to NT$15,000, while the annual cap would increase from NT$120,000 to NT$180,000, the Cabinet said.
The program would accept applications under the updated scheme from Monday next week, with the subsidy adjustments applying retroactively from Jan. 1, it said.
Photo: CNA
The central government also plans to provide a monthly accommodation subsidy of NT$5,000 for people with moderate to severe physical or mental disabilities living in specialized disability care facilities, the Cabinet said.
Previously, eligibility for the program was assessed on an annual basis, with beneficiaries required to stay in a facility for more than 180 days to receive a full year’s subsidy. Those who stayed for fewer than 180 days were not eligible.
Under the revised scheme, subsidies would be calculated monthly, with applicants eligible for one month’s subsidy if they reside in a facility for at least half of the calendar days in a given month, the Cabinet said.
Eligible facilities include nursing homes, psychiatric nursing homes, senior welfare institutions, disability welfare institutions, veterans’ homes and long-term care service facilities.
The government would also shorten reimbursement times by increasing the disbursement schedule to twice a year, the Cabinet said.
Application, review and disbursement procedures have been streamlined to ensure faster and more stable payments, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and local governments have been instructed to complete administrative preparations as soon as possible, and step up public outreach to ensure applications and reviews proceed smoothly and subsidies can be disbursed at the earliest opportunity, he said.
Taiwan has become a “super-aged” society, with the number of people aged 65 or older exceeding 4.77 million as of the end of July, accounting for 20.5 percent of the population, Cho said.
Of those 4.77 million, 16.47 percent have disabilities and 7.99 percent have dementia, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lu Chien-te (呂建德) said.
To meet rapidly growing long-term care needs, the government this year launched the Long-Term Care 3.0 program, investing NT$115.3 billion in its first year, Cho said.
The program aims to enhance coordination between medical and care services, while expanding support for people with moderate to severe disabilities and their families, he said.
The health ministry’s revised scheme would focus on reducing financial burdens and streamlining administrative procedures, he added.
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