Regarding changes to the National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums, the National Health Insurance Committee (NHIC) has submitted two proposals for review. While fielding questions by legislators, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung said that he prefers a third proposal which aims to raise the NHI premiums by an amount that resides in the middle of the two other proposals, which will then be submitted to the Executive Yuan (EY) for review.

The NHIC recently reviewed proposals to raise the 2021 NHI premiums and following a three-hour of discussion finalized on submitting two proposals. The first proposal calls to raise the NHI premiums to 4.97 percent while the second is calling for a range between 5.4 percent and 5.52 percent.

In a joint committee review of the central government’s infrastructure development special budget, Kuomintang Legislator Tseng Ming-chung asked if NHI premiums will be increased, to which Minister Chen replied that stakeholders are favoring an “upwards trend.”

Legislator Tseng further asked Minister Chen whether he prefers the first or second proposal, to which Minster Chen said that he is considering a third proposal representing the middle ground, while noting that each proposal have their own objectives and considerations.

Minister Chen explained that the first proposal at 4.97 percent represents a slower pace of increase to take into account the impacts of the pandemic, as carrying out an increase by the book will likely lead to excessive strain for the economically disadvantaged. The second proposal calls for a larger increase to restore the financial soundness of the NHI.

Legislator Tseng asks, if taking the middle ground of the two proposals, will the adjustment rate be between 5.25 percent and 5.3 percent? Minister Chen said that is a direction being considered.

[2020-12-02/United Daily News]