Elderly Care Cards Should Invest in Health, Not Just Subsidize Consumption

New Taipei City in Taiwan has expanded its "elderly care card" benefits, increasing the points to 600 and adding free 30-minute rentals of YouBike 2.0E electric-assisted bicycles starting July 1. This move follows similar expansions in other cities, where benefits have broadened from transportation to general consumption like dining and shopping.

The trend has ignited public discussion, with concerns that local governments might be engaging in a "welfare competition" or offering election-related policy promises. Critics argue this deviates from the original purpose of the elderly care card, which is to help seniors maintain health and social engagement, potentially creating disparities due to varying local financial capacities and diverting funds from other social welfare programs.

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Welfare policies should not be about who gives more, but who can better enhance public interest.

Experts emphasize that the goal of these cards should be to enhance public good, not just increase consumption. They propose that the central government establish consistent national guidelines focused on health promotion. Local governments could then offer flexible additions based on their financial situations and local needs, but these should not stray from the core policy objective. While expanding usage to transportation and health services is generally positive, allowing unlimited general consumption could undermine the goal of promoting healthy aging.

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The policy purpose of the elderly care card is not to increase consumption power, but to help the elderly maintain health and promote social participation, extend healthy life expectancy, and shorten the period of disability.

If shopping is permitted, it should be restricted to health-related items like medical equipment, rehabilitation supplies, or pharmacy products. Medical expenses like registration fees and co-payments could be included within reasonable limits. Furthermore, the current system of monthly point expiration should be reviewed. A more equitable approach would be annual accumulation or quarterly rollovers, allowing seniors to use points flexibly based on their health needs, especially for those who are hospitalized or ill.

Taiwan's transition to a super-aged society necessitates a shift in elder policy from mere welfare distribution to "investing in health." The true value of the elderly care card lies in promoting healthy aging and social participation, not in subsidizing consumption. By returning to the core purpose of health promotion, rather than becoming a tool for political competition, limited public resources can achieve maximum public benefit, aligning with the needs of a super-aged society.

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Elderly care policies cannot remain at the stage of distributing welfare; they must move towards the concept of 'investing in health.'