Taiwan passes law to subsidize health insurance for seniors

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan has passed an amendment to Article 22 of the Senior Citizens Welfare Act, mandating that the central government fully subsidize National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums for eligible seniors. The law targets residents aged 65 and older whose net annual income falls below the tax filing threshold or is taxed at a rate under 20 percent.

Introduced by the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), the policy is estimated to cost approximately NT$39 billion annually, with projections suggesting costs could rise to NT$62.8 billion by 2049. While proponents argue the measure provides uniform national benefits and reduces the financial burden on younger generations, the amendment has faced criticism regarding fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity.

Legal experts and health officials have raised specific concerns that the amendment may create gaps in medical coverage. By focusing strictly on premium subsidies, the revised law removes previous legal bases for subsidizing NHI co-payments and non-covered medical expenses—such as dentures, intraocular lenses, and certain cardiovascular stents—for middle-to-low-income seniors. There are concerns that existing social assistance laws may not fully cover the specific demographic previously protected under the Senior Citizens Welfare Act.