The country’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHI) is currently financially stable, and there is no need to raise health insurance premiums at this time. Health and Welfare Minister Chiu Tai-yuan addressed media speculation about budget pressures, stating that premiums will not be increased for now.
When asked if premiums might rise next year, Minister Chiu explained that there are many uncertainties in forecasting the NHI’s finances. He said, “Financial resources may change, so I cannot be certain, but essentially, there is no need to raise premiums.”
A recent report from Taiwan’s China Times mentioned that the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) is working on a draft budget for 2026, with expected growth between 2.9% and 5.5%. If the higher estimate of 5.5% is used, the NHI budget could rise by NT$51.5 billion to NT$988.31 billion. This increase might put some pressure on premiums.
Taiwan’s NHI system has been in place for over 30 years and currently covers about 99% of the population, a level of coverage few countries have reached.
However, the country faces challenges from a rapidly aging population and falling birth rates. These changes may drive up healthcare costs while reducing the number of workers who contribute to the system. This demographic shift could threaten the long-term financial stability of the NHI and create fairness issues between generations. Without changes, the public health insurance system may become unsustainable.
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