NHI Committee touts higher feesStaff writer, with CNAThe National Health Insurance (NHI) Committee on Friday submitted two proposals to the Ministry of Health and Welfare to raise health insurance premiums from 4.69 percent to 4.97 percent or to between 5.47 and 5.52 percent in January. The committee said that increasing premiums was necessary to address the NHI program’s rising deficit, as it is projected to lose about NT$77.1 billion (US$2.68 billion) next year and its reserve fund balance sink below one month. The wall in front of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists’ Associations president Huang Chin-shun (黃金舜), a member of the committee, said that he supported the smaller hike, as it would limit the financial impact on people and businesses during the pandemic. Chou, who supports the larger hike, said that the smaller hike would barely keep the NHI reserve fund balance above the legally mandated one month of total insurance benefit payouts at the end of next year.

Source: Taipei Times November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC