Yang Ma-Li, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, Global Views Monthly
楊瑪利　遠見雜誌　副社長兼總編輯

12:00 – 15:30, Thursday, 20 August 2015
Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Metro Suite (B1 F) / 台北香格里拉遠東國際大飯店  大都會廳 (B1 F)
201 Tuen Hwa South Road, Section 2, Taipei / 台北市敦化南路2段201號  MAP

Taiwan's national healthcare system has received wide praise internationally for its comprehensiveness and efficiency. However, concerns have been expressed by medical professionals and administrative experts about the future quality and sustainability of the national health system given rising costs. The central concern is how to find the right balance between quality and affordability and maintain this balance in the face of expected strains on the healthcare system that will grow more severe as Taiwan's population ages. This specially-arranged panel discussion will bring together experts from government, industry, the media and other stakeholders to discuss and examine the most crucial issues, exchange ideas and offer various perspectives on the best ways to ensure the future sustainability of Taiwan's national healthcare and insurance systems.Patients as well as doctors are generally satisfied with Taiwan national health insurance system. However, doctors are less satisfied because of the level of fee premiums and restrictions on the services that are covered by the system. In addition, doctors could be heavily penalized for a wide variety of reasons such as seeing too many patients or offering too many services, even if these services legitimate. At the beginning of 2006, the level of public satisfaction in the system decreased to the mid-60 percentage range because the programme needed more money to cover its services. Since then, satisfaction risen to above 70 percent. Patients are generally satisfied with their access to health care, have greater financial risk protection and have equity in health care financing. Nevertheless, despite recent increases in national health insurance premiums, there are concerns over long-term sustainability and maintaining quality given rising healthcare costs.

Among other topics our panelists will discuss the following:

1. The best future direction for the national health insurance system
2. Sustainability and quality of medical treatment
3. New drugs importing policies in Taiwan and other countries
4. Priority and preferences of policy makers in government
5. Public feedback and concerns of media groups
6. Industry support and feedback from medical care providers

To cancel without penalty, written cancellations must be received 24 hours prior to the event.

Contact: Simon Cheng / Tel 2740-0236 ext. 228 / simon.cheng@ecct.com.tw / www.ecct.com.tw