A report on Wednesday alleged that Health and Welfare Minister Shih Chung-liang, travelling in the United States, texted medical and social-welfare groups asking them to oppose the elderly welfare law amendment passed last month. Taiwan People's Party chairman Huang Kuo-chang condemned it sharply, but the reports carried no response from Shih or the ministry, and the facts remain unconfirmed.
According to the United Daily News and ETtoday, the Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to the Senior Citizens Welfare Act in late October. It requires the central government to budget funds to subsidize national health insurance premiums for people aged 65 and over who meet set conditions (the reports cite an income-tax-rate threshold of 20%). The United Daily News cited related coverage saying more than 80 percent of people over 65 would no longer pay premiums once it takes effect.
광고 문의 · 300×250The dispute rests on a report framed as “it is said.” Shih allegedly sent texts personally from the United States to the heads of several medical, pharmacy and welfare groups, asking them to relay the message to other groups and scholars to speak out through the media, and even suggested the angle: strain on insurance finances, generational fairness and crowding out other health and welfare resources. More than ten medical professional groups issued opposing statements on November 3 and 4.
Huang Kuo-chang and the TPP's case
Huang wrote on Facebook that the deadline for the Executive Yuan to decide on seeking reconsideration falls this Friday, and argued the aim is to create an atmosphere in which professional groups oppose the law and the cabinet is forced to seek reconsideration. He denounced Shih for “hiding behind the scenes,” and said some Democratic Progressive Party candidates for mayor and county magistrate had themselves promised to subsidize elders' premiums while the party opposes the amendment. The TPP said it will back the bill to the end.
TPP caucus director Chen Chih-han said the statements followed nearly identical lines that all pointed back to Shih, and asked whether the national federation of physicians' associations had been politically influenced. Who actually asked the groups to speak, and whether the texts were really sent, was not independently verified in the reports.
The government and medical community
ETtoday reported that some medical groups lamented being used as campaign tools. The United Daily News earlier reported that Shih had said exempting the elderly from premiums could shift the burden onto others, and that the original provision was meant for the truly vulnerable and could not be replaced by other laws. The paper said most of the medical profession opposed the amendment from the start.
The Executive Yuan has not said whether it will countersign or seek reconsideration. With local elections on November 28, less than four weeks away, both camps are trading attacks on the issue; what matters next is the cabinet's decision before the deadline and whether Shih and the DPP offer an official explanation. The reports confirmed so far contain no response from the DPP.
