The limit on out-of-pocket expenses for hospitalizations under the National Health Insurance (NHI) is to rise on Jan. 1 next year, up NT$6,000 to NT$57,000 for a single visit and NT$8,000 to NT$94,000 total per year, according to a new draft regulation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
About 11,000 people are to be affected by the new plan, which is set to increase NHI copayments by NT$60.93 million (US$2.02 million), it said.
Last year, the cap on single-visit and cumulative annual visits rose by just NT$1,000 and NT$2,000 respectively, although this year’s more dramatic increase was calculated using the same formula, Department of Social Insurance Acting Director Chen Chen-hui (陳真慧) said today.
Photo: Taipei Times
The policy is mainly calculated according to rising per capita national income, using data from the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS), she said.
Patients with catastrophic illnesses or those from low-income households claiming subsidies from other agencies would not be affected, she added.
The new policy would apply to insured patients hospitalized for up to 30 days in acute care wards or 180 days in chronic care wards, covering only the medical expenses payable by patients under Article 47 of the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法).
The draft would have a 60-day notice period before taking effect on Jan. 1.
Based on DGBAS data, the one-time hospital stay cap equals 6 percent of average income, while the annual cap equals 10 percent.
Additional reporting by CNA
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