The Department of Health yesterday revealed plans to change national health insurance policies, indicating that fees collected for certain medical tests and for exceeding 25 hospital visits per year could be waived.
According to current policy, people under the age of 65 must pay a fee of NT$50 for every hospital visit after the 25th visit. For senior citizens, the NT$50 fee is collected on the 49th visit and thereafter. Anyone who surpass 157 visits must pay 100NT for each hospital visit.
In addition, people requiring certain medical exams, such as an X-ray exam, must pay 20 percent of the exam cost but no more than NT$300.
Although the new policy would cost the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) an estimated NT$2.8 billion, DOH Director-General Chen Chien-jen (
At the Legislative Yuan yesterday he said that he would soon be sending a formal proposal to the Executive Yuan. The fee cancellation could take effect as early as next January.
Liu Chien-hsiang (劉見祥), vice president and chief operating officer of the BNHI, stated that the two fee policies were originally aimed at discouraging unnecessary hospital visits and exams.
Liu explained the reasons for recent plans to waive the fees.
"The committee that proposed the cancellation of the fees felt that doctors should decide whether people need certain medical tests. Furthermore, the fees didn't seem to have much effect on the number of visits people were making," he said.
Liu explained that the bureau would also make efforts to encourage people with common ailments to visit smaller clinics instead of hospitals.
People referred to hospitals by a clinic will be charged a NT$50 co-payment fee while those who visit hospitals directly will be charged NT$100. Clinic visits will also require a co-payment of NT$50.
"You don't need to go to a large hospital if you have a cold. Also, clinic doctors will be able to assist in directing people to appropriate hospitals if they determine that a hospital visit is necessary," Liu said.
According to the bureau, patients' information would be electronically stored so that data could be easily transferred between hospitals and clinics.
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