Taiwan Boosts Mental Health and Critical Care Funding by NT$470 Million

Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) is injecting NT$470 million (approximately $14.5 million USD) into enhancing critical healthcare services, focusing on psychiatric care and thoracic intensive care. These increased payments are part of new measures designed to improve the quality and accessibility of specialized medical treatments.

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The NHIA has adjusted the payment points for medical services such as psychiatric and thoracic intensive care, totaling an additional NT$470 million.

Effective August 1st, significant adjustments are being made to the payment structure for schizophrenia treatment. The NHIA is revising its "Schizophrenia Medical Payment Improvement Plan," allocating about NT$51 million to benefit approximately 79,000 individuals. Key changes include expanding the eligibility criteria for post-discharge follow-up visit fees, allowing claims within three months of discharge if visited within the past year, and doubling the payment points for these visits from 3,000 to 6,000. Additionally, a new incentive for long-acting injectable maintenance therapy will provide 150 points monthly, alongside quality improvement rewards ranging from 600 to 1,800 points based on performance.

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The revised 'Schizophrenia Medical Payment Improvement Plan' will inject approximately NT$51 million, benefiting about 79,000 people.

Furthermore, the NHIA is introducing the "Invasive Ventilator Optimization Management Plan" starting August 1st. This initiative will allocate approximately NT$250 million to cover assessments and interventions by thoracic and critical care specialists for patients on invasive ventilators in intensive care units for four to 21 days. Hospitals will also receive quality incentive points based on performance metrics, benefiting around 19,000 patients.

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The 'Invasive Ventilator Optimization Management Plan' will provide payment for thoracic and critical care specialists' assessments and interventions, with a total investment of about NT$250 million.

Looking ahead to September 1st, further enhancements are planned. Payments for ten types of child and adolescent group psychotherapy and day hospital services will see increases ranging from 45% to 100%, with an allocation of NT$10 million. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a treatment for severe or treatment-resistant depression and mania, will also see a substantial increase in payment points, rising from 1,718 to 6,839, benefiting approximately 5,800 patients with a budget of NT$30 million. These comprehensive adjustments aim to bolster specialized care and ensure better patient outcomes across these critical medical fields.

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From September 1st, the NHIA will also increase payments for 10 items of child and adolescent group psychotherapy and day hospital services, with increases ranging from 45% to 100%, injecting about NT$10 million.