The caps on bills for hospital stays are to be increased, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, while the Social and Family Affairs Administration announced that more people would be eligible to employ foreign caregivers.
The ministry previewed proposed changes to National Health Insurance (NHI) rules to take effect on Jan. 1 next year.
Taiwanese would pay NT$50,000 (US$1,564) at most for a single hospital stay, up from NT$48,000, and NT$84,000 at most for hospital stays in a year, up from NT$80,000, Department of Social Insurance deputy head Chen Chen-hui (陳真慧) told local TV channel SET News.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
People with a serious injury or medical condition, people from low-income families, disabled people and other disadvantaged groups are exempted from the planned hikes, Chen said.
Hospital stay copayments are adjusted as the average income changes in Taiwan, she said, citing the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法).
The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics has published national income data in the past year, prompting the ministry to propose the changes to the rules for medical bills, she said.
NHI copayments for a one-time hospital stay are 6 percent of the average income, while accumulated copayments for hospital stays in a year are 10 percent of the average income, Chen said, citing the act.
The proposed policy change would affect an estimated 10,900 people and increase hospital revenue by NT$233.7 million, she said.
The amendments are subject to change pending a 60-day public response period, she said.
Separately, the Social and Family Affairs Administration yesterday said that the government plans to broaden eligibility requirements to employ guest workers as in-home caregivers, which would benefit 600,000 households.
The government intends to extend eligibility to include people who have had at least six months of care, score higher than one in a clinical dementia rating, or have been diagnosed with a larger variety of physical or mental conditions, Social and Family Affairs Administration Director Chien Hui-chuan (簡慧娟) said.
The proposed changes would allow people with recognized physical disabilities or rare diseases, severe breathing impairments, or moderate swallowing function loss to hire migrant workers for in-home care, Chien said.
An estimated 300,000 families with members in long-term care, 200,000 families with members with dementia and 100,000 families with members with medical impairments would be eligible to hire foreign caregivers, she said.
Not all eligible families would make use of the new rules, as many are expected to be satisfied with their current arrangements, Deputy Minister of Labor Chen Ming-jen (陳明仁) said.
The Ministry of Labor believes that 20,000 to 30,000 families would employ guest workers as in-home caregivers, he said, citing the ministry’s experience with the caregiver industry.
The proposed regulations are scheduled to be promulgated this year and efforts to secure additional supply of foreign workers are under way, he said.
People on breathing machines or intubated would no longer need to be rated according to the Barthel index to be permitted to hire in-home caregivers from abroad, said Liou Tsan-hon (劉燦宏), deputy superintendent of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Shuang Ho Hospital.
Barthel scale certification is being removed as a requirement due to difficulties involved in transporting patients to hospital for testing and their day-to-day care, Liou said.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology
RSS