The Health Promotion Administration’s (HPA) Health Token program, which is to launch next week, has partnered with major convenience stores and supermarkets, HPA Director-General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬) said yesterday.
FamilyMart, 7-Eleven and PX Mart, as well as World Gym, Fitness Factory and Curves are participating in the first phase of the program, Shen said.
The program is to launch on Thursday next week for National Health Insurance (NHI) cardholders aged 18 or older, including foreign residents, with tokens redeemable from Dec. 1, she said.
Photo courtesy of the Health Promotion Administration
The tokens are modeled on a similar program in Singapore and would reward healthy behaviors, such as getting medical checkups and vaccinations, with rewards including healthy food and beverages, discounted access to gyms and sports facilities, reduced healthcare costs and health insurance benefits, she said.
People can earn tokens via an app for publicly funded health checkups and cancer screenings and publicly or self-funded vaccinations, including COVID-19, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, Shen said, adding that those actions would earn 800 to 1,350 tokens.
The HPA estimates that people could accumulate 3,700 to 13,150 tokens in two years, depending on age group and health risks, she added.
The program is a collaboration between the public and private sectors, with supermarkets and convenience stores, pharmacies, medical institutions, sports venues and insurance providers involved, she said.
At 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and PX Mart, people can redeem fresh produce, drinks and dried goods, while World Gym, Fitness Factory and Curves would offer discounts on monthly passes and exercise-related products, she said.
The HPA has also partnered with pharmacy chains, including Great Tree and Wellcare, to offer medical devices and nutritional supplements in exchange for tokens, she said.
Participating life insurance providers include Taiwan Life Insurance Co, Cathay Life Insurance Co, Fubon Life Insurance Co, Nanshan Life Insurance Co, KGI Life Insurance Co and BankTaiwan Life Insurance Co, she said.
About 26 Ministry of Health and Welfare hospitals would allow people with NHI cards to redeem tokens for self-paid health examinations, vaccinations and anesthesia, she added.
From next week, people can earn 200 tokens the first time they log into the health token section of the NHI’s app and 100 tokens for completing the lifestyle assessment, she said.
People do not need to keep receipts or apply for tokens individually, as all records would be automatically credited through the system, she said.
From Oct. 1, people could link their accounts on the NHI app with the Health GO App to begin redeeming health-related products, Shen said.
Redemption requires at least 1,000 tokens, she said.
Moreover, those who download both apps between Thursday next week and Nov. 30, and complete identity verification and registration can enter a lottery to win NT$200 digital merchandise vouchers, she said.
The lottery would run for eight consecutive weeks, with 3,600 winners selected each week, she said.
A year-end bonus draw on Dec. 7 would select 200 people from those who completed account linking from Nov. 26 to 30 to win an Apple Watch, she added.
The health token program is to be extended to school-age children in later phases, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said.
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