[quote=“horo36”] I know many mixed families (Taiwanese + foreigner) and their children have both passports. I never encounter any mixed child born here with one nationality.
Anyway, my point is my child can’t have any insurance until it is 4 months old. NHI doesn’t cover/subsidize ANY vaccinations for the child of both foreigners (maybe it did at your times, but now it doesn’t), whereas a child with one parent Taiwanese has a subsidy for vaccinations. I resolved to the fact I will have to pay from my pocket for all vaccines, but why I can’t buy ANY private insurance after my child is born? Maybe soon I will have some more news about the insurance for the newborns, then I will share it with you.[/quote]
Firstly children born to an ROC mother and a foreign father before 2000 could not claim ROC Nationality. So there are many children here with only the fathers nationality at time of birth. Many forumosans have children where the mother is a ROC Citizen with children born here and only the fathers foreign nationality. For many of us there was no NHI we paid out of our own pockets, or with private medical insurance, or both.
If you read my post there was no NHI in Taiwan when my son was born. That is also a recent development. So no I did not get subsidized vaccinations, or any help with the medical fees for my wife’s pregnancy or fees for the clinic stay for childbirth and post clinic stay.
The NHI for foreigners started in 2000, if I’m not mistaken. I remember they had the nerve to ask us to pay since we’ve arrived -or at least, with the same ARC. I recall a classmate in tears because she’d been here almost 3 years, barely making ends meet and now she had a “debt” to pay God knows how. Luckily, I think they relented.
I remember the embassy and our Taiwanese sponsors had to intervene or ask for help every time something major -a surgery, a big accident- ocurred, because with our scholarships, there was no way Jose we could pay a hosptal stay. I mean, it was a big dent those winter months, with our defenses low, we were practically at the doc all the time.
Having NHI is the best thing that could happen. It made a big difference in our quality of life. I am sad to see that newborns, who need it most than a 20 year old party animal cannot benefit fully from it.
[quote=“Icon”]The NHI for foreigners started in 2000, if I’m not mistaken. I remember they had the nerve to ask us to pay since we’ve arrived -or at least, with the same ARC. I recall a classmate in tears because she’d been here almost 3 years, barely making ends meet and now she had a “debt” to pay God knows how. Luckily, I think they relented.
I remember the embassy and our Taiwanese sponsors had to intervene or ask for help every time something major -a surgery, a big accident- ocurred, because with our scholarships, there was no way Jose we could pay a hosptal stay. I mean, it was a big dent those winter months, with our defenses low, we were practically at the doc all the time.
Having NHI is the best thing that could happen. It made a big difference in our quality of life. I am sad to see that newborns, who need it most than a 20 year old party animal cannot benefit fully from it.[/quote]
I thought when the NHI came in you only paid from when it started and only if you were here on an ARC. I know some people actually tried to avoid paying :loco: but the government had them pay up, although they do have a late payment scheme if you are in arrears.
Oh, I know about that too. When I was getting my masters, my university “forgot” to make the payments -they collected from me along with my tuition but did not hand it in to the NHI. The NHI caught up with me a few months after I started working. So firts I paid them, then collected from the university. No biggie. But I was impressed. Also there were a few months in between changing from language students to college student, and they collected that, too.
So if they are so efficient collecting, why are they concerned babies’ fees will be asconded?
Makes no difference. My son is no different to your child. He is on an ARC and holds no Taiwan Nationality.
So he is not half Taiwanese… he is 100% foreigner.[/quote]
But Horo is saying that it’s not to do with nationality of the kid, it’s to do with nationality of the parents. In that respect your families are different.
Well it is all about the kids Nationality and the childs residency status… not the parents. So you are incorrect to say our families are any different. Both of us have children who are foreigners born in this country.
I called the NHI and yes they confirmed that foreign children must wait 4 months for NHI coverage after birth. This is because all foreigners when they arrive in Taiwan are not eligible for NHI for their first 4 months here on an ARC. So the policy is applied equally to all foreingers who must wait 4 months to be eligible for NHI after they obtain their ARC.
As I wrote before, when my son returned from living in Australia he also had to wait 4 months after obtaining his ARC to be placed on the NHI. ROC Citizens who move overseas are also removed from the NHI and must also wait 4 months for NHI after they return.
So this is not about racism or discrimination. There is a clear policy that those foreigners or returning ROC nationals who are not on NHI must wait 4 months to be eligible after arrival.
So yes it’s a good idea to check with the HEALTH DEPARTMENT about NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE. However as NHI won’t cover for everything anyways that is the reason people buy medical insurance coverage on top of the NHI.
Well it is all about the kids Nationality and the childs residency status… not the parents. So you are incorrect to say our families are any different. Both of us have children who are foreigners born in this country.
I called the NHI and yes they confirmed that foreign children must wait 4 months for NHI coverage after birth. This is because all foreigners when they arrive in Taiwan are not eligible for NHI for their first 4 months here on an ARC. So the policy is applied equally to all foreingers who must wait 4 months to be eligible for NHI after they obtain their ARC.
As I wrote before, when my son returned from living in Australia he also had to wait 4 months after obtaining his ARC to be placed on the NHI. ROC Citizens who move overseas are also removed from the NHI and must also wait 4 months for NHI after they return.
So this is not about racism or discrimination. There is a clear policy that those foreigners or returning ROC nationals who are not on NHI must wait 4 months to be eligible after arrival.
So yes it’s a good idea to check with the HEALTH DEPARTMENT about NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE. However as NHI won’t cover for everything anyways that is the reason people buy medical insurance coverage on top of the NHI.[/quote]
This is probably the most succinct and useful post I’ve seen in this entire thread. As much crap that people (possibly deservedly) give Sat. TV from time to time, he deserves kudos for calling up the NHI and explaining everything here.
Well it is all about the kids Nationality and the childs residency status… not the parents. So you are incorrect to say our families are any different. Both of us have children who are foreigners born in this country.
I called the NHI and yes they confirmed that foreign children must wait 4 months for NHI coverage after birth. This is because all foreigners when they arrive in Taiwan are not eligible for NHI for their first 4 months here on an ARC. So the policy is applied equally to all foreingers who must wait 4 months to be eligible for NHI after they obtain their ARC.
As I wrote before, when my son returned from living in Australia he also had to wait 4 months after obtaining his ARC to be placed on the NHI. ROC Citizens who move overseas are also removed from the NHI and must also wait 4 months for NHI after they return.
So this is not about racism or discrimination. There is a clear policy that those foreigners or returning ROC nationals who are not on NHI must wait 4 months to be eligible after arrival.
So yes it’s a good idea to check with the HEALTH DEPARTMENT about NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE. However as NHI won’t cover for everything anyways that is the reason people buy medical insurance coverage on top of the NHI.[/quote]
This is probably the most succinct and useful post I’ve seen in this entire thread. As much crap that people (possibly deservedly) give Sat. TV from time to time, he deserves kudos for calling up the NHI and explaining everything here.[/quote]
Well, overall he’s pretty knowledgeable about most things Taiwanese, especially regarding government policies that affect residency etc.
I am just after another meeting with the representative of private insurance company.
Here it is:
It is true that in Summer this year there are some new regulations coming into life, that will change the insurance policy for all newborns and children under 14 years old (no matter of the nationality they are). What changes? This hasn’t been explained to me very well.
However, there is still a possibility to buy an insurance for a newborn. A foreign newborn needs ARC for that purpose.
Private companies may deny selling the insurance to the foreign newborn, as it was a case for us with the previous private insurance companies. In our case the reason for denial was that me and my husband are both foreigners (there was nothing about child’s nationality, simply, none of us is Taiwanese).
The representative of the company I talked to today said that it will be possible to buy insurance for the baby, BUT she will confirm this later.
A couple of friends (foreigners) of mine are not eligible for any private insurance for their newborn baby, because they have family student’s visa. One month before the baby was born a private insurance company told them that they can buy an insurance for their baby, as soon as it was born. One week after the delivery they got the news it was not possible. The company told them that they didn’t inform them about that before the delivery time, because they didn’t want to make them stressed…
On the whole if you are a foreign student you can’t buy a private insurance for yourself in Taiwan (this is according to the private insurance companies).
These are the news that I collected/re-confirmed today.
How come you can’t just buy insurance off a company in your own country? I have several policies bought from UK companies while I’ve been in Taiwan, as well as two or three from local companies. One of those local ones I bought before I was married and there wasn’t a problem.
Hi Sandman,
Adult foreigners who have working visa in Taiwan can buy insurance in a private company. It is the foreign newborn that can’t have it that easily. I still hope that the company I visited today will sell us the insurance for the baby.
The insurance I can buy back home is not sufficient and very basic one, because I am out of country.
Hi Sandman,
Adult foreigners who have working visa in Taiwan can buy insurance in a private company. It is the foreign newborn that can’t have it that easily. I still hope that the company I visited today will sell us the insurance for the baby.
The insurance I can buy back home is not sufficient and very basic one, because I am out of country.[/quote]
Horo,
Not all insurance companies will “sell” insurance to foreigners. Even if they do, we have restrictions regarding coverage and kind of policies. For example, I cannot get as high a coverage as my coworkers with the “group” insurance -the one we all suscribe to in case of accidents, lenghty hospital stay, etc. because I am a foreigner. they get like 2000 nts a day, I get half of that. Same with retirement and investment plans.
If babies need an ARC to apply to insurance, that means they need to be over 4 months old, as only staying 4 months her you can get your ARC. The 9 months inside Mom don’t seem to count.
People actually in the UK don’t normally have medical insurance. Your policy was travel insurance? Or private medical cover, like BUPA? Or something else?
Maybe in antediluvian times before Thatcher butchered the NHS.
Yeah, BUPA is one, but there are tons of policies these days that include medical coverage. All my UK-living sisters and their families have private coverage.
Ok, so now after today’s another meeting, I found a company that is able to sell the insurance for the baby of 2 foreigners and to foreigners that came here with the students’ visa. It seems all problems are solved. The name of the company is Aegon.
The newborns receive ARC very quickly, around 3 weeks after birth. All depends how quickly you deliver the birth certificate.
They don’t have to have passport first, which is nice.
Good luck to all foreigners having babies here!
Maybe in antediluvian times before Thatcher butchered the NHS.
Yeah, BUPA is one, but there are tons of policies these days that include medical coverage. All my UK-living sisters and their families have private coverage.[/quote]
I see. But I thought private medical cover was quite pricey. And is it valid for someone who is resident abroad, rather than just away on holiday? I presume you found one that is, and not overpriced. Can you give me more info?
Maybe in antediluvian times before Thatcher butchered the NHS.
Yeah, BUPA is one, but there are tons of policies these days that include medical coverage. All my UK-living sisters and their families have private coverage.[/quote]
I see. But I thought private medical cover was quite pricey. And is it valid for someone who is resident abroad, rather than just away on holiday? I presume you found one that is, and not overpriced. Can you give me more info?[/quote]
I’ll try to find the bumph but it might take me a while – I have a little man in Britland who handles all this kind of stuff for me. It is valid for me living abroad, but it is VERY expensive indeed – WAY too much for me to afford, but that’s what kind uncles and their inheritances are for, right?
