An overview of the healthcare system in Taiwan

Abstract

Taiwan adopted a national health insurance system in 1995. It is a government administered insurancebased national healthcare system. Although, like the UK, Taiwan has a single payer system for healthcare, there are several differences between the two systems.The characteristics of the Taiwanese system include good accessibility, comprehensive populationcoverage, short waiting times, relatively low costs and a national health insurance databank forplanning, monitoring and evaluating health services.The weaknesses include variable quality of care, a weak gatekeeper role and increasing financial pressures. © 2010 Royal College of General Practitioners.