TAIPEI (TVBS Neww) — Taiwan's highly praised healthcare system faces financial challenges due to inflation and an aging population.
The increased medical expenses and the rising global budget of the National Health Insurance (NHI) have led experts to fear a potential rise in the premium rate next year.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the approved growth range for the 2024 NHI global budget is between 2.621 percent and 5 percent. Based on these numbers, the global budget is expected to range from NT＄858.1 billion to NT＄875 billion.
Experts highlight that if the NHI rate remains at 5.17 percent next year, the safety reserve of the NHI may fall below one month of expenditures, making a rise in Taiwan's health insurance rates inevitable.
Still, the Executive Director of the Taiwan Healthcare Reform Foundation argues that raising the premium cannot resolve existing structural and systemic issues in Taiwan's healthcare system.
The Taiwan Nongovernmental Hospitals and Clinics Association chairman, Chu I-hung, also suggested the government reevaluate and consider narrowing national health insurance coverage, as the NHI may not be able to carry all the financial burden.
Insufficient financial resources have resulted in medical difficulties, and medical waste remains a significant problem within Taiwan's medical system.
To ensure that everyone has access to quality healthcare, the government and the people must collaborate to solve these challenges and undertake healthcare system reforms in Taiwan.
