National Health Insurance Administration Ministry of Health and Welfare

When local residents covered under the National Health Insurance program visit a doctor, the system covers most of the medical expenses, but patients are required to pay a small portion of the cost, called a "co-payment." The main reason for requiring a co-payment is to remind the insured that medical resources are used to help people who are ill or injured and should not be wasted under any circumstance.

In general, outpatients must pay a basic outpatient co-payment and a medication co-payment. If an outpatient was given rehabilitation therapy or traditional Chinese medicine therapy, then there will be an outpatient rehabilitation (including traditional Chinese medicine traumatology) co-payment. If a patient is hospitalized, then he or she will have to pay an inpatient co-payment when discharged.

• Patients should fill out an "Instructions for NHI Prepaid Medical Expense Refund Application Form" and prepare copies of their medical receipts and itemized expenses. These should be filed at the National Health Insurance office closest to the hospital where treatment was initially sought.
• You can go to an NHIA office or the NHIA website to download an application form.

1.Those Exempt from all Co-payments:
A.Individuals suffering from a catastrophic illness, or living and being treated in remote mountain areas or island regions, or women giving birth.
B.Outpatients or emergency care patients from outlying islands who have been referred to a health care facility in Taiwan.
C.Veterans who have the symbol for “veteran” on their NHI cards and their dependents.
D.Members of low-income households.
E.Children under three years of age.
F.Registered tuberculosis patients who receive treatment at specified contracted hospitals.
G.Patients with labor insurance who are being treated for occupational ailments.
H.Patients suffering from PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) poisoning.
I.Centenarians.
J.Alternative servicemen who hold military service ID cards (including general alternative servicemen and alternative servicemen involved in first- and second-stage R&D).
2.Those Exempt from Co-payments on Prescribed medication:
A.Patients with chronic illness refill prescriptions. The National Health Insurance Administration has listed 100 diseases as chronic illnesses, including hypertension and diabetes.
B.Dental patients.
C.Patients receiving care for one of the ailments covered under the "per case payment" system.
3.Those Exempt from Physical Therapy Copayments:
A.Patients undergoing "moderate to complicated" physical therapy, defined as undergoing three or more types of "moderate" therapy, such as electrical muscle stimulation and 13 other therapies, for a total of more than 50 minutes.
B.Patients undergoing "complicated" therapeutic treatment requiring specialized therapists, such as balance training and six other therapies. Limited to prescriptions issued by rehabilitation medicine specialists.
4.Regions Deficient in Medical Resources:
The co-payment amount of patients who receive clinic, emergency, or home care services in regions deficient in medical resources will be reduced by 20%. The National Health Insurance Administration will make annual announcements regarding regions determined to be deficient in medical resources.