Health (IC) Cards

[Visitor]

Anyone hear of any changes to the rules? My g/f, the source of much of my suspect information, claims that it will cost us $1000NT per visit now. Anyone else hear this?

[jlick]

The only changes I've heard of in the press are: 1) IC cards will be replaced with those with more capacity (no details exactly how that will happen) 2) More information of what prescriptions are dispensed and what major procedures are being done will be stored on the cards to prevent patients from abusing the system. Apparently some patients are getting multiple prescriptions for the same condition and then reselling the drugs to others, and there's some scams involving fake treatments with kickbacks to the doctor and patient.

Besides that, an UNINSURED doctor's visit is usually less than TWD1000, so that story is complete crap just on that basis alone. I think I was paying somewhere around TWD700 per visit including medicine for the typical cold/flu treatment before I was on NHI.

[Visitor]

so that story is complete crap....

Thanks for the input. Can I paraphrase your opinion back to her or shall I quote you directly?

Apparently, it is being discussed and we can expect more news on this in the near future.

One thing I did ascertain was that the Drs. are in a catch 22 sort of situation in that they more patients they see the more money they lose.

[jlick]

Thanks for the input. Can I paraphrase your opinion back to her or shall I quote you directly?

Um, she's your girlfriend, you are supposed to just nod and say "Yeah, that's terrible, dear." And when I said crap I meant whoever started that rumor, not her. OK, now that that's clear...

One thing I did ascertain was that the Drs. are in a catch 22 sort of situation in that they more patients they see the more money they lose.

Yes, the health care system is in trouble, but it's not quite as bad as that, yet. Hospitals are having the biggest problem because some of their services cost them more than they are reimbursed. Separately there are some scams out there that are draining money from the system, and some insurance premiums aren't being paid. Some of those not paying are government agencies like the Taipei City Government which objects to paying for employees who work in the city but live outside it. It's unlikely that co-pay or premiums will be raised without a lot of struggles first, and it is unlikely to rise as rapidly as TWD1000 overnight.