Miaoli County to cover health premiums for seniors

Miaoli County Government will use NT$385 million (US$12 million) in stamp tax revenue to cover National Health Insurance premiums for residents aged 80 and above beginning in July.

Reporters reported the plan was approved at a weekly county government meeting. The program will run on a trial basis for 1.5 years and is expected to benefit 25,823 seniors.

Stamp tax is collected on official documents such as contracts, property transactions, and large engineering agreements. The tax is paid when documents are signed or issued, and the revenue goes to local governments to support public spending.

“Many elderly residents had asked the county to provide the same National Health Insurance premium waiver already offered in other cities and counties,” County Magistrate Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) said. He added that the Social Affairs Department first calculated the annual cost for residents aged 80 and older and then assessed whether the county’s limited finances could support the policy, Hakka News reported.

Chung said the funding comes from stamp tax payments secured last year by two officials at the Miaoli County Tax Bureau. The officials identified two large engineering projects by Taiwan Power Company and CPC Corporation, Taiwan in Miaoli and ensured that the stamp taxes were paid locally.

Because the companies’ registered addresses are located in other cities, they were legally allowed to pay the stamp tax outside Miaoli. However, tax officials contacted the companies and contractors, guided them through the process, and secured payment in Miaoli.

Chung said the amount is sufficient to cover National Health Insurance premiums for eligible seniors for approximately 18 months. “The policy will not only support elderly residents but also ease the financial burden on younger family members who often pay the premiums on their behalf,” he added.