The Study on Combing Long-term Care Insurance and National Health Insurance in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Hung, Hui-Yun, 洪惠雲
• Other Authors: Chang, Chih-Hsinug
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/63894683948684591056

碩士 === 義守大學 === 管理學院管理碩士在職專班 === 101 === The elderly population is estimated to increase from 1995's 1.5 million to 5.5 million by 2030. By 2009, the number of people with disabilities had exceeded one million. Demographic changes have taken place in the structure of society, with a turn from large families to small ones, while fertility and birth rates are low under the double impact of the 'low birth rate trend' and an 'aging population', thereby reducing the workforce. It is estimated that by 2025, the ratio of people helping the elderly will be approximately 3.2:1. In 2005, the elderly accounted for 28.38% of medical costs; it's estimated that they will account for more than half of total medical costs by 2030, creating a major burden on families and on the health care budget. The cost of long-term care is not something individuals or families can resolve alone, thus long-term care insurance takes on an increased importance in the construction of a sound long-term care system and social insurance system.. Research has shown: through documented studies and comparisons between various nations, experts and scholars unanimously recognize the feasibility of incorporating long-term care insurance into the national health insurance system, but its financing needs to be kept separate. There are many areas of overlap between long-term care and the national insurance system; there is public support for the introduction of long-term care insurance; the long-term care insurance system can not be the source basis; there is severely uneven distribution of services, with resources concentrated in urban areas, and rural areas lacking their provision; government unit responsibilities are not uniform; tools for long-term assessment are too simple; long-term care terminology is not uniform; evaluation checking mechanisms are not fully distributed; financing mechanisms have not been established. Specific recommendations arising from research: 1. Expeditiously complete long-term care insurance legislation. 2 The government should meet people's needs for the early establishment of a long-term care insurance system. 3 The government units responsible need to be unified. 4. Single units responsible for individual insurers, should provide universal coverage. 5 The discrepancy between delivery of services in urban and rural areas needs to be be shortened; the public should receive the same standards of care, regardless of location. 6 Long-term care assessment tools should be diversified and integrated. 7. 'Care' terminology needs to be unified. 8. Evaluation and review mechanisms need to be complete and rigorous. 9. Long-term care financing measures and mechanisms need to be established, if a sustainable long-term care system is to be developed.