DOH agrees to freeze NHI premiums

Hou Sheng-mao, chief of the Cabinet-level DOH, made the pledge after Hou Tsai-fung and Yang Li-huan, two legislators of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), spoke strongly against any plan to raise the NHI premium rate.

They said the rising NHI premium rate has persistently drawn the loudest complaints from their constituents.

Various labor organizations also voiced strong opposition to any hiking plans as local workers are now saddled with a heavier financial burden while most of them have not seen wage increases for years or are even faced with the threat of losing their jobs.

The two lawmakers said “many people could die” if the government continues raising the rate because more residents in Taiwan will not be able to afford the premium payment.

Rather than relentlessly forcing people to pay a higher premium rate, they said, Hou and the DOH should step up efforts to plug the loopholes in the current system when striving to improve the system’s worsening financial condition.

The uncovering of irregularities committed by some hospitals and doctors, including scams in procuring pharmaceuticals and equipment, still often make media headlines. Other schemes include using fake medical care records and prescription sheets to swindle more medical payments from the national health insurance system.

Even lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are loath to see further rises in the health insurance premiums with the new legislative election set for December and the presidential race for March next year.

Hou agreed to temporarily freeze the premium rate before ridding the waste in medical resources.

Prodded by the two KMT lawmakers, he invited Chu Jeh-ming, president of the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) under the DOH, to sign a written agreement to conditionally free the rates as drafted by the legislators.

Hou pledged to maintain quality medical service for all people living and working on the island.

Meanwhile, he also told the lawmakers that Taiwan now stands a better chance of participating in World Health Organization (WHO) activities this year under the “Principle of Universality” stipulated in the revised WHO International Health Regulations (IHR), which are expected to go into effect later this year.

Fielding questions from legislators, Hou said Taiwan has a “90-percent chance” of being included in WHO activities after the revised IHR becomes effective.

Hou said Taiwan has tried for 10 consecutive years to join the World Health Assembly (WHA), the highest decision-making body of the WHO, as an observer, but the efforts have been in vain due to China’s obstruction.

The adverse situation, however, is likely to change this year, Hou noted. The WHA agreed in May 2005 to include the “Principle of Universality” in its revised IHR, so that all countries, regions and organizations can work together for the improvement of health conditions for all of humankind.

Taiwan is increasingly confident that the IHR will provide a legal basis for the country to participate in WHO activities beginning this year.

Hou said Taiwan is also hoping to establish a cooperation and exchange framework with the WHO under the “Principle of Universality” and other related regulations.

The picture is expected to become clearer by mid-May, he added.

KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao suggested that Hou travel to China to negotiate in person with Beijing officials to facilitate the application of the IHR to Taiwan.

Hou said he would not spare any efforts or pass up any opportunities to communicate with Chinese officials in terms of Taiwan’s WHO membership bid.

He had made his position clearly known to China’s Health Minister Gao Qiang during an international health meeting held in Geneva last year.

Concerning his traveling to China, Hou said, it is a matter that should be decided by officials from other Cabinet agencies, particularly the Mainland Affairs Council that is responsible for drafting policies toward China.