91AV原创 welfare ministry has begun considering a plan to raise nursing care insurance premiums for high-income earners age 65 or older from fiscal 2027.
The proposal was submitted to a subcommittee of the Social Security Council, which advises the welfare minister, on Friday. The review comes as higher public pension payments burden low-income earners with higher nursing care insurance premiums.
Premiums for those age 65 or older are calculated by multiplying a base figure set by local governments and by a rate determined by their incomes. In fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2026, the nationwide average of the base figure stood at ?6,225 per month.
There are 13 rates, ranging from 0.285 to 2.4, with lower rates applying to people with lower incomes. Increases in pension payments, reflecting inflation, are causing low-income earners to qualify for higher rates, resulting in higher premiums.
Under the latest proposal, the ministry plans to raise the highest rate, applied to people with annual incomes of ?7.2 million or more. It also plans to divide lower-income brackets into smaller categories to curb sharp increases in premiums when people move into a higher rate bracket.
The subcommittee is expected to discuss the plans and reach a decision by the end of the year.
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