If you plan to go abroad for more than six months, you can either maintain your National Health insurance or suspend your coverage.
| 1.Continuing Coverage |
| No application needs to be submitted. As long as the insured continue paying their premiums while they are out of the country, they will be covered for emergency procedures or child delivery abroad but must apply for reimbursement for expenses they paid on their own. (To find out how, please see Chapter 12). |
| 2.Suspending Coverage |
- Those who decide to suspend their insurance coverage must submit an "Insurance Suspension Application Form" before going abroad. While outside the country, these individuals do not have to pay premiums but will also not be covered for medical care. You may file an online application to suspend NHI coverage by using your "citizen digital certificate" or NHI card through the NHIA's "Personal NHI Online Services" network.
- Suspending your coverage means you do not have to pay premiums while abroad, but upon returning to Taiwan, you must remember to restore your coverage from the day of your return. Restoring coverage will fulfill your obligation to enroll in the National Health Insurance program. If you have suspended coverage but left the country for fewer than six months, you must void the suspension and pay back premiums retroactively for the period from when coverage was halted to the time you return to the country.
- Those who suspend coverage during their time abroad can only suspend their insurance starting from the day of the application rather than making it retroactive to the day they left the country. This group of people also cannot apply retroactively to suspend their coverage after returning home or request a reimbursement of premiums paid while they lived abroad. We suggest, therefore, that you complete any appropriate insurance procedures before going overseas. Once you suspend coverage, you cannot restore coverage or request reimbursement of medical expenses while abroad. Only after returning to Taiwan and restoring coverage can you regain your right to health care.
- Those who have already suspended coverage for their time abroad and those who choose to suspend their coverage while abroad starting January 1, 2013 can only suspend their coverage again after they have returned to Taiwan and reinstated their coverage for three months.
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