Thu, Sep 25, 2014 page3

• NHI cover for Chinese students passes a review

  • By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter
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  A long-debated proposal to extend National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage to Chinese studying in Taiwan cleared the committee review stage in the Legislative Yuan yesterday, subject to cross-party negotiations over some disagreements among lawmakers before it goes to a floor review.

  Lawmakers in the Internal Administration Committee yesterday approved an amendment to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) to grant Chinese students “residence” status during their studies in Taiwan.

  The definition under the current act that Chinese students “stay” rather than “reside” in Taiwan while studying excluded them from NHI coverage. Under the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法), foreigners are required to enroll in the NHI system, but only when they have an Alien Resident Certificate and have lived in the country for more than six months.

  Previous opposition to the Cabinet-proposed amendment came mainly from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union, but the DPP has signaled a change in its position since DPP Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) initiated a similar proposal in August last year.

  The DPP previously said in opposing the inclusion of Chinese students in the NHI that it would cause more difficulties for the already financially strapped system.

  The DPP supported moving the bill out of the committee, but on some conditions, in the form of additional resolutions it proposed — that premiums for Chinese students are all paid by the insured, and that the policy would only take effect after related rules under the National Health Insurance Act are revised.

  Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) disagreed with the second point, saying inclusion of Chinese students in the NHI system need not involve revisions to the National Health Insurance Act.

  Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) proposed that Chinese students be treated the same as international students, who pay 60 percent of the premiums, with the remaining 40 percent subsidized by the government.

  A good-faith effort was made by China to help settle the controversy when it adopted a policy of allowing Taiwanese students in China to enjoy the same medical insurance rights as Chinese students in September last year, with an annual subsidy of 430 yuan (US$70) from the government and a premium of 120 yuan paid per student per year, Wang said.

  The disagreements are to be discussed at cross-party negotiations before the amendment is placed for a second and third reading.

  Commenting on the issue, Public Medicine Era spokesman Ellery Huang (黃致翰) said he was in favor of the proposed inclusion of Chinese students in the NHI program because the policy conformed to the fundamental principles of human rights.

  “However, my support is built on the assumption that there is a cap on the number of Chinese students allowed to study in Taiwan. If there is no such restriction, the policy could lead to an influx of Chinese students to the country and in turn reduce the education resources available for local pupils,” Huang said.

  National Health Insurance Civilian Surveillance Alliance spokesperson Eva Teng (滕西華) said the alliance’s stance is that the government should provide the same level of NHI subsidy to students from China and other foreign countries, be it zero or 40 percent of the full premium.

  “Nevertheless, the alliance opposes the inclusion into the NHI program of any individuals who are simply ‘staying’ in the country,” Teng said.

  Additional reporting by Stacy Hsu
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