National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) Director General Shih Chung-liang said that adjustments to the National Health Insurance’s (NHI) financial structure should be considered to strengthen overall NHI funding, adding that without adjustments, NHI finances could fall into the red, leaving no option but to increase NHI premium rates to above 6%.

Director General Shih said that the NHIA is assessing a plan to decouple the basic and supplemental premium rates and to establish different rates for each of the six categories of supplemental premiums. Additionally, the NHIA is exploring ways to expand supplemental premium sources and is considering potential new NHI revenue sources, such as raising the share of NHI expenses covered by the central government budget.

Director General Shih said that the NHIA this year commissioned the National Health Research Institutes to hold discussions exploring how to leverage private health insurance to complement the NHI, and will be exploring potential changes to the global budget system that may be implemented in 2026.

[2024-11-9/ United Daily News]