Policy-Acceptances of Taiwan's National Health Insurance Reforms: An Investigation from Suppliers' Aspects

As Taiwan's NHI insured face relatively low co-payments and medical payments and there is no financial risk for the provider due to a guaranteed health insurance program, the overuse and abuse of health care resources has begun to threaten the soundness of the NHI Bureau's financing. Because physicians and health care providers play a key role in health care program, the main purpose of this study is to examine if supply-side policies are preferred instruments for cost control. This paper found that first, the top two policies that could increase the number of visits are supply-side policies 8 and 9, and the top two policies that could improve internal cost control are supply-side Policies 11 and 13. Second, the top three policies that could reduce the quality of health care services are supply-side Policies 11, 12 and 13.Third, scholarly experts are more open to supply-side policies than clinical providers. Since Taiwan's current NHI program has limited policy tools currently available, supply-side policies are the preferred instruments to contain health care cost inflation.