Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) hosted an APEC workshop on Tuesday, focusing on health technology assessments and sustainable universal health coverage. Representatives from 12 APEC economies, experts from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and health officials from Belize, Taiwan’s diplomatic ally, attended to discuss improving healthcare services.
Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) emphasized Taiwan's role as a model for universal health coverage. However, he acknowledged the challenge of balancing treatment outcomes with rising costs for new drugs and technologies. Chiu says Taiwan has been conducting health technology assessments for many years and established the Center for Health Policy and Technology Assessment (CHPTA) in January to optimize limited healthcare funds.
Chiu says health technology assessment is a practical tool for governments to make comprehensive and timely decisions, especially in the face of ongoing infectious disease threats. He says that assessments help determine health insurance coverage for new drugs, promote innovative medical services and policies, and ultimately improve the overall efficiency of healthcare systems while reducing costs.
NHIA Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) says there are several reform measures aimed at enhancing Taiwan’s assessment capabilities and managing rising healthcare costs. These include establishing temporary payment funds and expanding budgets for new drugs and medical technologies. Shih says he hopes the APEC workshop will further strengthen Taiwan's capabilities in health technology assessment.