As the population is ageing, the financial burden on the NHI is getting heavier. Four members of the Control Yuan had spent 18 months in studying the NHI finance and produced an investigation report earlier this month. The report was adopted by the Committee of Domestic and Ethnic Minority Affairs of the Control Yuan. The Control Yuan urges the MOHW to address this problem in order to keep the NHI system sustainable.
The 2nd Generation NHI system took effect in 2013. Since then, the health expenditure has been spiralling up partly because the population is ageing. It has put a strain on the NHI finance. The investigation report predicts that the NHI will have a shortfall of NT$40 billion in 2019 if the insurance premium rate keeps at its current level, i.e. 4.69%. It also predicts that the NHI safety reserve will be depleted in 2022. To keep the NHI finance in balance, the authority has to increase the premium fees by breaking the legal premium rate ceiling at 6%, said the report.
The report points out that a premium hike is the most direct and effective way to improve the NHI finance. However, it will surely arouse the opposition of the public. The fact that there are always political elections on the horizon makes it almost impossible for politicians to back the premium hike.
The report states that the MOHW has the full responsibility to keep the NHI system sustainable. The MOHW should continue reforming the NHI finance, work out new measures and try to secure the support from the NHI committee.
The report also highlights the fact that many overseas Taiwanese enjoy the full NHI services by just paying the premium fees during their short stay in Taiwan. This unfair advantage has to be rectified, said the report.
【2019-06-06/ China Times】
