Taiwan’s new copayment system for national health insurance may go into effect during the first half of next year. That came from Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) on Tuesday, who had said earlier this month that the new changes might go into effect at the end of this year.
Hsueh says this latest update is not necessarily a delay in the government’s plan to raise national health insurance fees. But he says the government needs to further observe the country’s economic conditions before making a decision.
The minister says although the spread of COVID-19 is stabilizing in Taiwan, the country’s economic recovery is still uncertain.
Hsueh says the plan to raise medical fees under the national health insurance scheme will not affect low-income groups. But he adds that since the general population will need to pay slightly higher medical fees, the government is considering whether this is still affordable in the country’s current economic state.