Lai lauds national health insurance success ahead of 30th anniversary

Taipei, Feb. 21 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Friday lauded the achievements and impact of Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) system ahead of the 30th anniversary of its introduction as a compulsory health insurance program.

"Thank you to the NHI system and the various functions it has served over the past 30 years -- it is like a 'guardian mountain' that safeguards the nation, protecting everyone's health under the system," Lai said at a symposium held in Taipei to discuss the sustainable development of the NHI system ahead of its 30th anniversary on March 1.

Lai, a former physician, said in his opening speech that before the implementation of the NHI system, many people in Taiwan fell into a vicious cycle of illness and financial hardship, where "poverty led to illness, and illness, in turn, led to poverty," causing widespread social problems.

One example he raised was how, in the past, a single illness in a family could prevent children from continuing their education, as medical expenses consumed a significant portion of household income.

Lai said that almost all social issues caused by health-related burdens have been resolved over the past 30 years due to the NHI system, which he praised as a crucial mechanism for "social redistribution."

"It [the NHI system] enables everyone to embrace the spirit of mutual support and insurance, while also incorporating elements of social welfare through government participation," he said.

Noting that the NHI system currently has a coverage rate of around 99 percent, the president said: "No other country in the world has a health insurance system with such a high proportion [of coverage]."

In terms of international recognition, Lai, who has been pushing the "Healthy Taiwan" policy initiative since taking office in May last year, said that Taiwan's healthcare system has ranked first in the world for six consecutive years, citing the Health Care Index by the online database Numbeo.

The index evaluates the overall quality of a country's healthcare system, including factors such as healthcare professionals, equipment, staff, doctors, and costs, as shown on Numbeo's website.

However, Lai acknowledged the challenges facing the NHI system, noting a current shortage of medical professionals across multiple specialties, particularly in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.

"If this issue remains unresolved in the long run, it will inevitably be detrimental to the public," he said, without providing suggestions on how to address the problem.

In a documentary screened at the symposium, it was noted that after the COVID-19 pandemic, a considerable number of doctors have opted to open private clinics or shift to aesthetic medicine, which is not covered by the NHI system and is paid for by patients themselves, in order to "escape the constraints" of the system.

Meanwhile, the film highlighted that recruiting talent for certain specialties remains a challenge, particularly in fields related to life-saving medical services, such as intensive care.