TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will inject nearly NT$230 million (US$7.3 million) into children’s critical care as the National Health Insurance Administration raises reimbursement rates for three major pediatric services, set to take effect in the first quarter of next year.
The adjustments, approved Wednesday, come as hospitals nationwide continue to face a shortage of pediatricians. Chen Wei-ming (陳威明), superintendent of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, said the hospital, for instance, was unable to retain any of the four chief residents who completed pediatric training this year, according to UDN.
Under the new payment standards, reimbursement for pediatric inpatient care will increase by approximately NT$200 million. Pediatric specialists will receive a 20% bonus on inpatient consultation fees in intensive care units, while the add-on rate for general ward inpatient consultations for children under age 2 will rise from 30% to 60%, according to CNA.
Reimbursement for pediatric mental health services will also rise. Payments for psychiatric day hospitalization for children under age 6 will increase from 877 points to 1,623 points per day, adding an estimated NT$8 million in spending.
In addition, reimbursement rates for seven major neonatal surgeries will be raised, with points increasing from a range of 3,250–30,742 to 8,283–34,034 points. The change is projected to inject an additional NT$30 million into neonatal care for premature or critically ill newborns.
In Taiwan’s National Health Insurance system, “points” are units hospitals claim for medical services. The NHIA reviews the total, adjusts as needed, and converts points into Taiwan dollars, with each point typically worth NT$0.8–0.9, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Chen noted that medical centers such as National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Veterans General Hospital handle more severe pediatric cases, leading to heavier workloads and higher burnout risk. With declining birth rates and heightened expectations for only children, pediatricians face significant pressure, making fair compensation essential to retain talent.
The government has already introduced a series of measures to retain pediatric medical talent, including establishing a dedicated pediatric care budget and extending the attending physician responsibility system to cover children from birth to age 6.
