‘Healthy Taiwan’ is one of the campaign promises made by the newly elected President, Lai Ching-Te. Therefore, the announcement of the new Minister of Health and Welfare (MOHW) was highly anticipated. It has now been revealed that Dr Chiu Tai-Yuan will assume office. The incoming Minister faces a range of challenges, including food safety incidents, financial strain on the 30-year-old National Health Insurance (NHI) due to costly new drugs, and other contentious issues such as surrogate mother legislation.

Dr Chiu expressed that Taiwan has a robust National Health Insurance (NHI) system, which effectively cares for the vulnerable population. He emphasized that the NHI is a national treasure that everyone should cherish. With society aging, the demand for healthcare services is escalating, placing significant pressure on the NHI. The current governing party has been striving to inject various funds into the system to address these challenges. Dr Chiu affirmed that he and his team are committed to doing their utmost to sustain the NHI.

The outgoing Minister, Dr Hsieh Ruey-Yuan, expressed confidence in his successor's competence. He expressed hope that the new Minister will carry on the efforts to eradicate violence against children. Dr Hsieh remarked that Dr Chiu's familiarity with healthcare affairs makes him a suitable candidate for the position.

Dr Chou Cing-Ming, the President of the Taiwan Medical Association, stated that NHI reform will be the most challenging task for the new MOHW Minister. However, he expressed optimism about Dr Chiu's ability to address various NHI issues, citing the new Minister's adaptability, versatility, and strong communication skills.

Dr Hung Tze-Ren, the President of the Taiwan College of Healthcare Executives, emphasized that the new Minister should prioritize expanding NHI revenues while ensuring social justice. He suggested using the general budget to fund the NHI, eliminating the 6% NHI premium ceiling rate, and ultimately reforming the NHI global budget system. Dr Hung highlighted that achieving these objectives would require amending the NHI Act. He stressed the importance of the new Minister using wisdom to strike a balance between NHI finance and public opinion.

【2024-04-20 / United Daily】