Ma pledges increased health care spending

 (CNA) 01/20/2012  Taiwan Today  ROC President Ma Ying-jeou vows Jan. 19 that the government will expand the national health expenditure to boost the local medical and biotech industries. The government will increase spending on health care and medical research and development, bringing the national health expenditure up to 7.5 percent of the gross domestic product, ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said Jan. 19. "The NHE/GDP percentage will be lifted from current levels to help the local medical and biotech industries develop competitiveness based on the domestic market," Ma said. According to government statistics, Taiwan's NHE accounted for 6.6 percent of the GDP in 2010, equivalent to NT$891.2 billion (US$29.7 billion).Spending came mostly from the private sector, with households contributing 55.1 percent of the total; expenditures by the government, corporations and nonprofit organizations stood at 25.2 percent, 14.3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.The enlarged investment from the government is expected to help boost health care outlay by NT$130 billion, sources familiar with the matter said. They are also optimistic that the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) will help Taiwan's industry tap into the vast mainland Chinese health care market.Officials from the Department of Health noted the plan will help shape a thriving business climate in long-term and distance senior health care services, as Taiwan's society is aging faster than any other in the world.The pharmaceutical and medical equipment sectors are also likely to benefit from the new market, they added. Ma made the commitment while receiving winners of the 2011 National Biotechnology and Medical Care Quality Award at the Presidential Office. Awardees included Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou and National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital was honored for its achievements in kidney dialysis.