Fri, Aug 28, 2026 page3

• ‘Health coin’ to come in October: Lai

  INCENTIVE: People would be rewarded for getting health checkups, screenings and vaccinations in the initial phase, with coins accumulating on the NHI app, an official said

  • By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA
  • • Add TT as Preferred Source
    • 
    • 
    • 

  A “health coin” policy to be implemented in October aims to use technology to promote public health and cancer screening, serving as a new model to incentivize digital health management, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.

  Government health policies should place greater emphasis on health promotion and preventive medicine as Taiwan has become a hyper-aged society, Lai told a meeting of the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee.

  The “health coin” program would reward people for taking health-promoting actions, encouraging them to undergo checkups and cancer screenings, and manage their health, Lai said.

  

  President William Lai, center, greets exhibitors while touring the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s pavilion at the SDG Asia expo at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 yesterday.

  Photo: CNA

  The program is not simply intended to reward people for maintaining healthy lifestyles, but is also a government initiative to promote the use of digital technology in health management, Lai said.

  The “health coin” program would be open to all citizens aged 18 or older, Health Promotion Administration (HPA) Director-General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬) said.

  The initial phase would reward people for participating in health-promoting activities, including state-funded checkups, cancer screenings and vaccinations, she said.

  Once users accumulate a minimum of 1,000 coins via the National Health Insurance (NHI) app, they can transfer them to a designated app to redeem for healthy foods or health promotion services at partnered convenience stores, hypermarkets and life insurance companies, she said.

  A planned second phase would reward users for achieving specific health goals, such as tracking daily steps through wearable devices, redeemable for more perks such as sports venue rentals and courses, she added.

  The meeting also introduced the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Resilience National Action Plan.

  Statistics show a 7.54-year gap in average healthy life expectancy between indigenous people and the rest of the population, Lai said.

  The 15-point plan would expand local medical capacity, help indigenous people feel safer when seeking medical care and foster more indigenous medical professionals, Lai said.

  Lai said members of the committee’s third term include experts in public health, dementia, long-term care and medical research.

  “We hope that such diversity will provide forward-looking recommendations for the government’s health policies,” Lai said.

  Achieving universal health coverage is a cornerstone of building a sustainable and resilient nation, while indigenous healthcare is an important part of achieving that goal, Lai said.

  Meanwhile, the HPA yesterday said that people applying for in vitro fertilization (IVF) subsidies for a second or third time could receive an additional NT$50,000 (US$1,577) starting next month.

  As of last month, more than 72,000 couples had applied for IVF subsidies totaling NT$8.9 billion, with more than 31,000 having welcomed newborns, including 1,802 second children and six third children, HPA statistics showed.

  Shen said that although IVF subsidies help reduce the financial burden on couples experiencing infertility, age remains a major factor, and people planning to have children should make preparations early.

  Additional reporting by Lo Pi
• Most Popular

  • 1

    Heavy rain to persist as multiple systems affect Taiwan this week

  • 2

    Typhoon Saudel weakens, likely to come closest to Taiwan Friday

  • 3

    Minister urges sports associations to manage debt amid Jones Cup controversy

  • 4

    Tropical depression threatens torrential rain

  • 5

    Typhoon Saudel to pass closest to Taiwan Thursday, Friday