A group of lawmakers departed on a trip to Europe yesterday, but left behind controversy as it was revealed that the trip was sponsored by a medical-care corporate owner.
Funding of the trip struck a sensitive nerve as the legislature prepares to review a bill concerning the proposed second-generation national health insurance (NHI) premium in the coming session, which is scheduled to convene on Sept. 24.
According to a legislator who was invited on to the trip, but declined to take part, “damages could be done to the lawmakers’ image if the public were to discover that the trip was sponsored by a medical-care company owner.”
“What would the public think about this? How would the lawmakers go about and review the proposed second-generation NHI premium?” said the lawmaker who declined to be named.
INVITATIONS
The lawmaker added that the owner initially intended to invite a total of 10 legislators — most of whom are members of the bipartisan Health, Welfare and Environment Foundation (厚生會) of the Legislative Yuan, whose primary attention is geared toward medical issues — but because he thought the trip was inappropriate, he talked two Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members out of participating.
Sources said the nine-day trip was by invitation from president of Show Chwan Health Care System, Huang Min-ho (黃明和), to visit various pharmaceutical companies and medical care centers in Germany and France.
NO LINK
KMT Legislator Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞), chairman the foundation, dismissed the concern and said there should not be a link between the foundation and the review of the bill. He added that medical care issues are not the only subjects the foundation cares about.
Lee, who was not on the trip, said the point of the trip was for the lawmakers to broaden their knowledge, adding that even if one did not take part in the trip, the lobbying would continue to exist just as much.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Chieh-ju (陳節如), the foundation’s vice chairman and a participant on the trip, also stressed that the trip had nothing to do with the review of the bill, saying the purpose of the trip was for the lawmakers to gain a better insight, as well as to learn from the experiences of other countries on how they were doing with regard to medical care issues.
SPEAKERS
The trip will also include visits with Germany and France’s parliamentary speakers.
Huang only sponsored part of the trip’s expenses, she added.
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