The Bureau of National Health Insurance (NHI) stated that according to an announcement by the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, from January 1st, 2010, the upper limit on copayments for each hospital stay due to the same illness, i.e. NT$ 30,000 in 2009, and that for the entire year’s hospital stays, i.e. NT$ 50,000 in 2009, have been decreased to NT$ 29,000 and NT$ 48,000 respectively. The BNHI estimates that the number of qualified beneficiaries will be over 22,000.

        The aforementioned upper limits on copayments for hospital stays only apply to the insured’s copayments for medical expenses due to the same illness on an acute ward stay of less than 30 days or a chronic ward stay of less than 180 days. However those medical expenses do not include the NHI uncovered items such as fees for designated physicians, board expenses, ward fee differences, transportation fees and registration fees. Furthermore, for patients who were admitted before December 31st, 2009, the upper limit of NT$ 29,000 in 2010 may be used as the upper limit on copayment for medical expenses on that hospital stay if it extends into 2010.