New National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) plans to improve the agency’s financial situation, he said yesterday, as he takes over in the wake of an alleged data leak.
The former deputy minister of health and welfare was appointed last month after a Cabinet reshuffle, and after former NHIA director-general Lee Po-chang (李伯璋) stepped down following the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau’s announcement last month that three NHIA employees had allegedly leaked National Health Insurance (NHI) data from 2009 to last year, potentially to Chinese authorities.
At a handover ceremony in Taipei, Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) said that Shih was qualified to handle the security issue, given his experience supervising the NHIA while deputy health minister and his experience as the ministry’s chief information security officer.
Photo: CNA
Hsueh said that security was being improved at the agency while an investigation continues.
Shih said he would focus on five main goals at the agency.
He would first seek to integrate the NHI system with preventive and long-term healthcare efforts, to provide more holistic care as Taiwan becomes an aging society, he said.
His second task would be to improve the system’s finances, which has been a challenge for each NHIA head, he said.
With a budget of more than NT$800 billion (US$26.68 billion), the system is an investment in the public’s health, so the administration needs to thoroughly review how it is used, and include new, advanced medical devices and treatments to provide more efficient and effective healthcare, he said.
Third, he would promote digital health, which Lee had greatly expanded and was important during the COVID-19 pandemic, Shih said.
That would include upgrading the hospital information system, to assist hospitals in introducing new healthcare models, such as telemedicine, he said.
His fourth goal would be the revision of regulations, after the Constitutional Court last year determined that two NHIA policies were unconstitutional, including the use of data and issues concerning people’s suspension and re-enrollment in the system, he said.
Another important task is enhancing communication with the public, healthcare professionals and government agencies on NHIA policies, he said.
At the handover ceremony, Hsueh said that Shih would need to develop an effective plan to address the NHIA’s financial situation, as well as negotiate with departments and healthcare facilities.
He also praised Lee’s tenure, saying that after six years and eight months of service, he was the longest-serving head of the NHIA.
Lee accomplished many reforms, including establishing the NHI MediCloud system for integrating medical records, promoting the use of My Health Bank and assisting the real-name based mask rationing scheme at the beginning of the pandemic, Hsueh said.
Lee also contributed enormously to the country’s COVID-19 prevention efforts, he added.
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