The incoming President, Lai Ching-Te, has pledged to maintain an average NHI service point value at NT$0.9, with a projection of NT$1. Meanwhile, KMT legislators recently put forward a law amendment draft for a guaranteed NHI service point value at NT$1. This proposal has aroused heated debate, as the NHI global budget is limited. The Legislative Yuan arranged a public hearing on this issue on the 6th. Dr Chen Shih-Chung, a former MOHW Minister, expressed that whether the point value should be protected and fixed depends on the structure of the NHI finance. He suggested slimming the NHI global budget down by setting a smaller global budget solely for items to be avoided wasting, while separating items to be developed from the global budget.

Dr Chen made these comments during the 2024 Public Health Summit. He pointed out that the GDP in Taiwan has reached NT$30,000; therefore, the objectives of the NHI policies should evolve accordingly to sustain the healthcare system, which has been beset with problems resulting from attempting to achieve the NHI's objectives of better accessibility and affordability.

Dr Chen expressed that while it is necessary to rethink the NHI global budget, completely scrapping it at once will put the NHI at serious financial risk. Therefore, Dr Chen suggested slimming down the global budget and setting new funding sources for items separated from the global budget. These separated items could then be expanded to include products and services for various healthcare purposes.

He explained that healthcare-related services can be categorized into three major groups: items to be avoided wasting, items to be developed, and items covered by national policies. The NHI could consider keeping the items to be avoided wasting in the global budget while separating other items for development, such as new drugs and new technologies, from the global budget. This approach would guide and support the industry's engagement in research and development (R&D).

Dr Chen stressed that the nation's health status, the NHI system, and the government's health policies concern everyone and are everyone's responsibility. It's imperative that we set aside individual interests and approach these matters with a comprehensive perspective, taking into consideration not only the current economic landscape but also anticipated future needs, advancements in technology, and other relevant factors.

【2024-05-04/ Liberty Times】