TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration said Sunday it may pause a proposed rule change that would make it easier for clinics to take two days off each week if it affects patient access or emergency room crowding.
The proposal would lower the monthly consultation-day basis for primary Western medicine clinics from 25 to 22 days, while raising the first-tier patient-visit threshold from 30 to 35 visits, per CNA.
National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Chen Liang-yu (陳亮妤) said the agency and the Taiwan Medical Association will track the share of primary care clinics open on Saturdays and the number of emergency room visits on those same days after the policy begins. About 80% of clinics now see patients on Saturdays, while 30% open on Sundays, she said, per the report.
The change could take effect July 1, after the Ministry of Health and Welfare approved it in May. The Taiwan Medical Association proposed the adjustment in late May 2025, and it passed a joint payment standards meeting in March after several rounds of talks.
Chen said the association would help coordinate clinic coverage if the indicators show patients are being affected. Emergency room crowding data from the Department of Medical Affairs will be used as the main benchmark, and the policy will be reviewed every three months, according to the report.
Chen framed the proposal as a way to ease pressure on medical workers without making care harder to reach. Chen added that separate payment changes for more resource-intensive care are next on the agenda, with officials set to take up those items in June.
