by Samuel Feng
The funding for a NT$10 billion (US$310 million) cancer drug fund has become a challenge with the National Health Insurance Administration proposing an alcohol tax to finance the fund. In an interview on Wednesday, Taiwan College of Healthcare Executives Director Hung Tzu-jen (洪子仁) said that many countries impose health taxes including alcohol, tobacco and even sugar taxes. He suggested that these could be considered as funding options.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) proposed setting up the cancer drugs fund during his presidential campaign. The Health and Welfare Ministry recently drafted the roadmap to finance this proposal. This year, NT$2.4 billion (US$73 million) from the National Health Insurance (NHI) will be temporarily allocated for the project. In 2025, the fund will be officially set up with a budget of NT$6 billion (US$183 million), independent of NHI. The budget will reach NT$10 billion (US$310 million) by 2026.
Hung, who is also the Vice Dean of Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, says alcohol and tobacco taxes are considered health taxes internationally because drinking and smoking increase medical usage rates. He says such taxes are viable options for NHI income.
Hung also suggested that in order to maintain the cancer drugs fund, the Health and Welfare Ministry should modify the Cancer Control Act to have a legal basis for the funding. According to Hung, the introduction of the fund into the National Health Care system will create pressure on current resources. He says the ministry should also consider increasing the NHI budget emphasizing that funding for health care is not a cost but an investment.