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The 19th full meeting of the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee convened on May 30, 2024, during the 1st session of the 11th Legislative Yuan. Deputy Minister Jen-Der Lue of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) addressed the meeting, emphasizing the initiative to alleviate the financial burden of NHI premiums on economically disadvantaged individuals. Under the Public Assistance Act, the MOHW provides full premium subsidies for individuals aged 65 or older residing in low-income households. Additionally, pursuant to Article 22 of the Senior Citizen Welfare Act and related regulations, full premium subsidies are extended to individuals aged 70 or older in near-poor households. Data from 2023 indicates that the MOHW has subsidized a total of 112,196 individuals, amounting to NT$984,683,000. Subsidies for individuals aged 65 to 69 in near-poor households are managed and distributed by municipality or county(city) governments.

Regarding Article 22 of the Senior Citizen Welfare Act, some legislators have proposed an amendment for the central competent authority to fully subsidize the NHI premium for older adults whose approved individual income tax rate falls under a specific bracket. For instance, offering full subsidies for all older adults with an approved individual income tax rate under 20%. The estimated budget required for 2024 is at least NT$35.9 billion. In response to the advent of a super-aged society, where the population of older adults exceeds 20% of the country's population and continues to grow annually, the MOHW must uphold the NHI's ability-to-pay principle. This ensures intergenerational equity and guarantees financial sustainability when offering subsidies for economically disadvantaged older adults.

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