The practice of "Old Welfare Law" pretends to exclude the rich but really eliminates the poor. Taiwan's former election candidates Huang Guochang and Fu Kunqi will kick them out

Last week, Blue and White pushed forward to amend the "Elderly Welfare Law". About 83% of the elderly's health insurance premiums will be subsidized by the central government. However, the statutory subsidy obligation for disadvantaged elderly people to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses has been deleted. The Taiwan Forward Front held a press conference in front of the Legislative Yuan’s Qunxian Building this morning (19th). It questioned that the amendment of the law was almost a fake elimination of the rich, but it was actually an elimination of the poor. It asked the Chairman of the People's Party Huang Guochang and the Kuomintang League Chief Fu Kunqi to explain the process of the amendment and the annual financial resources of about 40 billion yuan. It also called on the Executive Yuan to propose a review and the three parties in Congress to support the review and return the evil law.

Wang Wanyu, chairman of the Times Power Party, said that Lanbai issued election checks but failed to account for long-term financial resources and ignored the needs of young people to raise children and take care of their parents. The DPP must also make it clear. Executive President Zhuo Rongtai criticized the law revision for causing generational injustice, but President Lai Ching-te affirmed in Pingtung on October 17 to cancel county government subsidies that exclude the wealthy. The central government opposed it and the local governments increased it. What is its position? If the Executive Yuan and the Democratic Progressive Party sincerely oppose it, they should prove it with actions. The Executive Yuan should propose a review and President Lai Ching-de should approve it. The three parties in Congress should also support the review, roll back the bad law, and restore the protection of vulnerable elderly people.

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Wu Xindai, chairman of the Taipei City Party Committee and a physician in Taiwan, pointed out that when Ko Wenzhe was mayor of Taipei, he raised the premium subsidy age for the elderly from 65 to 70 on the grounds that the subsidy budget "has been squeezed into other social welfare plans." However, in 2023, full subsidies for health insurance premiums for those over 65 years old were listed as a presidential policy. When asked about financial resources, he only said "the country should pay or have to pay." At that time, Taipei City was worried about crowding out social welfare. Now the national version requires about 40 billion yuan per year, and the People's Party should propose a financial assessment.

Shen Peiling, a candidate for Taoyuan District Councilor in Taoyuan City, Taoyuan City, Taoyuan City, pointed out that Article 22 of the current Elderly Welfare Law stipulates that counties and cities "should provide subsidies" for insurance premiums, partial burdens and medical expenses that are not covered by health insurance that the elderly cannot afford. Blue and White’s 2024 version retains this provision as does the October 2 proposal by Blue committee member Chen Chaoming and others. Huang Guochang was listed as the sponsor, and Fu Kunqi also co-signed Chen Chaoming’s version. However, the amendment motion on October 16 only left the insurance premium. The law originally required the government to assist the elderly who cannot afford medical expenses, but now this obligation has been deleted. The wrong amendment to the law should be repaired immediately.

Power of the Times Zhang Yuci, candidate for Zhubei East District, Hsinchu County, pointed out that Huang Guochang used the example of a family where both parents are dependent on their children for insurance and claimed to save 1,244 yuan per month. However, according to the National Health Insurance Administration, about 35%, or 1.65 million elders, insured themselves and paid their own premiums. Among those who depended on family members for insurance, there were also a large number of "elderly dependents" with husbands and wives dependent on each other. Whoever pays the premium for the elderly will be saved by the policy. If the central government’s annual expenditure of nearly 40 billion yuan is financed by taxation, the final bill will still be paid by the young and middle-aged salaried class. In February this year, Huang Guochang criticized the elderly welfare policy without financial planning as "irresponsible money throwing". Now the amendments he promotes do not even include financial resources. Where is the standard?

Li Huixuan, a lawyer and citizen candidate for the Datong District in Zhongshan, Taipei City, responded to the People’s Party’s statement on October 18. The People's Party said the subsidy "will only be more, not less." However, Article 1 of the "Measures for Subsidy for the Elderly Who Cannot Afford to Participate in the National Health Insurance" is clearly stipulated in Article 22, Paragraph 2 of the Elderly Welfare Act. After the relevant provisions are deleted from the parent law, the two medical subsidies in the measure will lose their basis. Article 18 of the Social Assistance Law only covers injured and sick patients from low-income households, as well as those who are seriously injured and unable to afford medical treatment for themselves and their families. The application threshold for low- and middle-income elders has been significantly raised. If the social assistance law has already fully covered it, why does the Popular Party’s 2024 version still retain these two guarantees?

Gan Chongwei, co-convenor of the Green Party and candidate for parliament in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, questioned that after the third reading of the Kuomintang League Financial Planning Law in 2024, the General Office of Planning and Planning estimated that the central government would have to release an additional 375.3 billion yuan to local governments every year. Now the central government has to add about 40 billion yuan in expenditures. The Kuomintang group advocates supporting the financial growth brought by AI dividends, but premium subsidies must be compiled every year. The Kuomintang should explain where stable financial resources are.