Councilors Advocate for Loosening Restrictions on Elderly Care Card; Taichung City Government: Must Consider Financial Resources
Taichung City Councilors are pushing to relax restrictions on the Elderly Care Card, including increasing taxi subsidies, expanding its use to markets and community centers, and reviewing the monthly point reset system. The city government, however, stated that financial resources must be considered for these proposals.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 18:36
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 19:00 (24 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 21:16 (146h 16m after Collected)
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) city councilors Chang Fen-yu, Chen Ya-hui, Hsieh Chia-yi, Chen Yu-jung, Chen Shu-hua, and Hsiao Lung-tse all advocated today during city council inquiries that the restrictions on the Elderly Care Card should be lifted to encourage seniors to participate more willingly in social activities.
Chang Fen-yu stated that as of the end of March this year, there were 532,840 valid Elderly Care Cards, with an annual utilization rate exceeding 81%. Seniors love using it but reflect that there are 'too many restrictions' and 'insufficient flexibility,' with the taxi subsidy of only 85 points being the most criticized. Also, clinic registration fees are limited by card swipe machine equipment, and not all clinics have joined. If it could be used for self-paid portions at community care centers in the future, the same problem would arise, hoping for comprehensive deployment.
Chen Ya-hui pointed out that the budget for the Elderly Care Card increases annually, reaching NT$1.04 billion this year, but seniors still report inconvenience and rigid systems, with limited help for those with mobility issues. She suggested increasing the taxi subsidy to NT$150 and expanding its use to markets, supermarkets, and community centers, upgrading it from transportation subsidy to living support. She also proposed reviewing the monthly point reset system to enhance usage flexibility and make the policy truly impactful.
Hsieh Chia-yi stated that she hopes the Elderly Care Card can be optimized and made more versatile. She also received feedback from parents hoping the card could offset clinic registration fees to alleviate the financial burden on families with early intervention needs.
Liao Ching-chih, Director of the Taichung City Social Affairs Bureau, stated that the design purpose of the Elderly Care Card is to provide incentives for seniors to go out using public transportation, and the taxi fare subsidy is better than other counties and cities. In the past, the Elderly Care Card had no taxi fare restrictions, and at that time, there were 220,000 users. Currently, there are more users, so the key is to increase the number of times people go out, rather than using up all points at once. As for relaxing the monthly point reset, financial resources must be considered. (Edited by Chang Ya-ching) 1150409
Chang Fen-yu stated that as of the end of March this year, there were 532,840 valid Elderly Care Cards, with an annual utilization rate exceeding 81%. Seniors love using it but reflect that there are 'too many restrictions' and 'insufficient flexibility,' with the taxi subsidy of only 85 points being the most criticized. Also, clinic registration fees are limited by card swipe machine equipment, and not all clinics have joined. If it could be used for self-paid portions at community care centers in the future, the same problem would arise, hoping for comprehensive deployment.
Chen Ya-hui pointed out that the budget for the Elderly Care Card increases annually, reaching NT$1.04 billion this year, but seniors still report inconvenience and rigid systems, with limited help for those with mobility issues. She suggested increasing the taxi subsidy to NT$150 and expanding its use to markets, supermarkets, and community centers, upgrading it from transportation subsidy to living support. She also proposed reviewing the monthly point reset system to enhance usage flexibility and make the policy truly impactful.
Hsieh Chia-yi stated that she hopes the Elderly Care Card can be optimized and made more versatile. She also received feedback from parents hoping the card could offset clinic registration fees to alleviate the financial burden on families with early intervention needs.
Liao Ching-chih, Director of the Taichung City Social Affairs Bureau, stated that the design purpose of the Elderly Care Card is to provide incentives for seniors to go out using public transportation, and the taxi fare subsidy is better than other counties and cities. In the past, the Elderly Care Card had no taxi fare restrictions, and at that time, there were 220,000 users. Currently, there are more users, so the key is to increase the number of times people go out, rather than using up all points at once. As for relaxing the monthly point reset, financial resources must be considered. (Edited by Chang Ya-ching) 1150409
FAQ
What restrictions on the Elderly Care Card are Taichung City Councilors advocating to loosen?
They are advocating for increasing taxi subsidies, expanding its use to markets and community centers, and reviewing the monthly point reset system.
What is the Taichung City Government's stance on loosening the restrictions of the Elderly Care Card?
The Social Affairs Bureau stated that the card's purpose is to encourage seniors to go out, and loosening restrictions, especially regarding the monthly point reset, requires consideration of financial resources.