Torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Mekkhala has caused flooding and other damage in Taiwan. As a result, some patients seeking medical services may be unable to present their NHI cards. In response, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) has instructed all NHI-contracted healthcare facilities to provide necessary medical services through exceptional protocols.

Healthcare facilities should record the date of service, the type of medical visit (outpatient or inpatient), and patient information in the "NHI-Contracted Medical Facility Exceptional Medical Treatment Register." Once the required information is recorded, the facility may provide healthcare services to the patient under NHI coverage.

In addition, Director-General Lian-Yu Chen of the NHIA stated that insured individuals whose NHI cards are damaged or lost due to the disaster may apply for a free replacement. Applicants should indicate "victim of the Typhoon Mekkhala-related torrential rain disaster" on the NHI card application form and submit the application to local post offices, household registration offices (for Taiwanese citizens only), designated district or township offices capable of issuing NHI cards on site, or the NHIA branch offices.

For inquiries, please contact the NHIA consultation line at 0800-030-598 or 4128-678 (no area code is required when calling from a landline), or (02)-4128-678 from mobile phones.

Moreover, residents affected by the disaster whose NHI cards are damaged or lost may still bring their refillable prescriptions for chronic diseases to pharmacies to obtain their medications. Pharmacies should handle such cases in accordance with exceptional medical treatment protocols. If medications or prescriptions are damaged or lost due to the disaster, patients may inform their physicians and obtain a new prescription. In these cases, when submitting reimbursement claims, healthcare providers should indicate code "R007" to ensure that these prescriptions are not counted as duplicate medication claims.