Taiwan People's Party Proposal to Halt NHI Contracts for Medical Institutions Failing Salary Standards Sparks Debate
The Taiwan People's Party has proposed a bill to suspend National Health Insurance (NHI) contracts with medical institutions whose medical personnel salaries do not meet certain standards, sparking a debate. The NHI Administration stated it is continuing dialogue with various parties on this issue.
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- 📰 Published: April 6, 2026 at 19:22
- 🔍 Collected: April 6, 2026 at 23:28 (4h 6m after Published)
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Liu Lin-yi, Chief Secretary of the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained to the media today that regarding the assurance of medical personnel salaries, the NHIA had previously convened a communication and discussion meeting on the draft revision of the Special Management Regulations. Opinions from various sectors are continuously being communicated.
Liu Lin-yi stated that to achieve the substantive goal of salary increases, the NHIA continues to cooperate with relevant policies of the Department of Nursing and Health Care under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Through the global budget, funds are continuously injected to adjust payment standards. Last year, NT$2.5 billion was injected to adjust inpatient nursing-related payment standards, linking it to the increase in insured salaries for nursing staff. This year, an additional NT$4.5 billion for nursing fees has also been budgeted. In the future, the effectiveness of the system's implementation will be monitored to support medical institutions in strengthening salary and benefits guarantees for medical personnel.
Lin Ying-ran, Chairman of the Taiwan Association of Primary Care, recently submitted an opinion piece to the media, pointing out that the Taiwan People's Party legislative caucus had earlier proposed to amend the "National Health Insurance Act." The proposal suggests making the achievement of a certain standard for medical personnel's monthly insured salaries a condition for renewing NHI contracts for designated institutions, which he warned could be an abuse of power and an interference with the autonomous operation of medical institutions.
Lin Ying-ran stated that salaries should be negotiated between labor and management and handled according to relevant labor laws, and should not be a condition for NHI contracts. He argued that the NHIA is the sole dominant insurer, and medical institutions have no option to choose other contracts. Forcibly linking "medical personnel salary standards into contract management" would be tantamount to "those who comply survive, those who resist perish."
The National Federation of Nurses Associations R.O.C. issued a statement, asserting that reforms to medical personnel salaries and staffing systems should not be narrowed down to the proposal of a single political party or individual. How such systems are designed and implemented genuinely merits rational and pragmatic dialogue through public hearings, expert meetings, and cross-group discussions, rather than replacing professional discourse with political rhetoric.
The statement highlighted that the nursing profession has long focused on how to establish reasonable staffing and salary guarantee systems that enable medical personnel to provide care services in a safe and sustainable environment. This is not only a professional issue but also an important public policy concerning the health of all citizens and the sustainability of the medical system. Therefore, it urged that systems can be discussed and reforms can be debated, but emotional and labeling language should not obscure the real problems that need to be solved. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150406
Liu Lin-yi stated that to achieve the substantive goal of salary increases, the NHIA continues to cooperate with relevant policies of the Department of Nursing and Health Care under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Through the global budget, funds are continuously injected to adjust payment standards. Last year, NT$2.5 billion was injected to adjust inpatient nursing-related payment standards, linking it to the increase in insured salaries for nursing staff. This year, an additional NT$4.5 billion for nursing fees has also been budgeted. In the future, the effectiveness of the system's implementation will be monitored to support medical institutions in strengthening salary and benefits guarantees for medical personnel.
Lin Ying-ran, Chairman of the Taiwan Association of Primary Care, recently submitted an opinion piece to the media, pointing out that the Taiwan People's Party legislative caucus had earlier proposed to amend the "National Health Insurance Act." The proposal suggests making the achievement of a certain standard for medical personnel's monthly insured salaries a condition for renewing NHI contracts for designated institutions, which he warned could be an abuse of power and an interference with the autonomous operation of medical institutions.
Lin Ying-ran stated that salaries should be negotiated between labor and management and handled according to relevant labor laws, and should not be a condition for NHI contracts. He argued that the NHIA is the sole dominant insurer, and medical institutions have no option to choose other contracts. Forcibly linking "medical personnel salary standards into contract management" would be tantamount to "those who comply survive, those who resist perish."
The National Federation of Nurses Associations R.O.C. issued a statement, asserting that reforms to medical personnel salaries and staffing systems should not be narrowed down to the proposal of a single political party or individual. How such systems are designed and implemented genuinely merits rational and pragmatic dialogue through public hearings, expert meetings, and cross-group discussions, rather than replacing professional discourse with political rhetoric.
The statement highlighted that the nursing profession has long focused on how to establish reasonable staffing and salary guarantee systems that enable medical personnel to provide care services in a safe and sustainable environment. This is not only a professional issue but also an important public policy concerning the health of all citizens and the sustainability of the medical system. Therefore, it urged that systems can be discussed and reforms can be debated, but emotional and labeling language should not obscure the real problems that need to be solved. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150406