Please help with Taiwan health insurance questions and laws

[Quarters]

Wow, this was a tough one to find the right forum for. :s

My situation:
Working full-time salary on JFRV teaching English at a kindergarten/buxiban. Signed a 1 year contract. Contract said nothing about health insurance, neither yes or no.

What I want:
Medical and dental coverage through my employer.

What they said:
(4 months into the contract) “We feel that you would be better off signing with your wife’s insurance through her employer. In order to sign with our insurance company, you would need to have an ARC with our school name on it, which means you would need to forfeit your JFRV and apply for a Work Visa.”

I checked with my wife’s company insurance policy and they said that because I left Taiwan on my re-entry stub in my passport this last month, I cant sign up with them for another 4 months. They claim I need to stay in Taiwan for at least 4 consecutive months before signing up.

My questions and doubts:
This all sounds like a load of BS.
With my school, why on earth would I be any different from any Taiwanese person they hire? I don’t need a work permit! Grrrr.
With my wife’s company insurance, why would they need to see my resident visa and re-entry permit? The resident visa is canceled when you get your ARC through JFRV. So it isnt even valid anymore anyways. All I would show them is my ARC…and by that they would have no way of knowing how long I have been in or out of Taiwan. Shouldnt matter anyways.

Can anyone give some advice or point me in the right direction here?

[dangerousapple]

I’m in the same situation as you, (JFRV…I own the school, but it’s registered in my wife’s name) and I get my health insurance through the school. It’s never been a problem. Your school should be able to offer it to you, they’re probably just unsure about what to do…so it’s easier to just say it’s impossible.

[jlick]

@Quarters

In order to sign with our insurance company, you would need to have an ARC with our school name on it, which means you would need to forfeit your JFRV and apply for a Work Visa."

Complete and utter bullshit.

@Quarters

I checked with my wife’s company insurance policy and they said that because I left Taiwan on my re-entry stub in my passport this last month, I cant sign up with them for another 4 months. They claim I need to stay in Taiwan for at least 4 consecutive months before signing up.

The requirement is 4 months of residency. I’ve never heard before that they need to be consecutive. In fact the usual interpretation I’ve heard is 4 months after getting your ARC.

By the way, the health insurance is a government program, so the companies don’t get to make their own rules.

You can find more information at the NHI website: nhi.gov.tw/english/index.asp

[TainanCowboy]

Quarters -
What Jim said. You are being fed a line of feathers. Both regarding your ARC and the “residence” time thing. Look at the date on your “family book” and count from there.

[Quarters]

Thanks everyone for your input and help.

I had a conversation with my School’s director. We get along great and all the staff are pretty much friends, so it was easy talking to them. She has to take it up with people higher than her, but she stressed that she would give it her best shot.

I also sent her an email containing links and quotes from the National Insurance website that should help things out.

There is one confusing thing to this whole situation:

The English wording on the site says that those with JFRV open work rights just need to provide their work permit through their employer. That is exactly the frustrating part that makes no sense! There is no work permit for JFRV holders. I believe what was intended to be said was for JFRV status employees to provide their ARC - which in turn would show open work rights through its JFRV status. I believe the school is confused on this specific wording. Good grief

I am very curious what the chinese version of their site states.

Here is what their English site states:

This is the confusing statement:

[quote]Those holding a Residence Certificate but without official domicile status in Taiwan:
‧If there is a fixed employer, then enrollment can be made through the employer. Please submit photocopies of work permit and Residence Certificate to enroll.[/quote]

This makes it clear that if you hold an ARC you can apply through your employer but makes no mention of what needs to be provided by the employee:

Those in possession of a Taiwan Residence Certificate, Taiwan Resident Entry and Exit Permit, Alien Residence Certificate, Alien Permanent Residence Certificate or other documentation permitting long term residence in Taiwan (e.g., those holding a Taiwan entry and exit permit for family reunions, dependent relative stays, longterm residence, industrial technology research, academic technology research or visiting relatives (2) recognized by the NHI competent authority shall enroll on the day marking the completion of four months of residence; but those with a specific employer shall enroll on the date of employment.

This makes it clear that if you have a ARC and are married (no specific mention of a JFRV, but I am sure they are implying JFRV) you have the right to apply through your employer for insurance, but again it does not specify what should be provided by the employee. Shame shame for not being more specific! grrrrr :

[quote]Q6: Are foreigners who marry Taiwanese females eligible for the NHI program?

Ans:
Foreigners with Taiwanese wives and holding Residence Certificates may enroll in the NHI as indicated below:

Foreigners with specific employers may enroll in the NHI program starting from the first working day through their employers or places of work.
Foreigners who are self-employed can enroll in the NHI after residing inTaiwan for at least 4 months under their own business.
Foreigners who are unemployed may enroll in the NHI as dependents, if applicable, after residing in Taiwan for at least 4 months. [/quote]

Interesting side note: Why on earth were they specific in mentioning Foreigners with Taiwanses wives? Is it different if your Husband is Taiwanese? They make no further mention regarding Foreigners with Taiwanese Husbands. :loco:

Their site is also typical of Taiwanese government sites…riddled with broken links, links that loop back to the page you were on, and links that go to complete random places. Their link to download an insurance application form just sends you to the sites front page :loco:

[Marty]

I had the same experience 2 years or so back. It happened during tax return time.
The tax office said that if my employer doesn’t pay my health insurance, I can report the employer and they will have to pay me back the money owed, plus double the amount to the authorities and possibly a fine.
I told this directly to my employer and what do you know, he knew the law exactly and paid up pretty quick. (After I said I have to report him if he doesn’t pay me.)

[tempogain]

an more oblique way might be to go down to the nhi office, with a chinese-speaking person if necessary, to get the facts, which are that you are legally entitled to health insurance, should take 5 minutes to iron out what documentation you need. you can relate the facts to your boss, if he hems and haws just say you will go down there again to try to find out more clearly. that should definitely be enough to take care of it, they KNOW they have to do it and can get into trouble, trust me on this one.

[SoulDragoN]

[quote]
I am really confused on what I should do:

7 months ago I was hired on salary of $70,000 / mo. Employer told me that this was after taxes were deducted. Nothing in my contract mentions taxes. I just took their word for it.

I asked my employer, “Come tax season what should I do?”

They said, “Do nothing.”

Wife said, “Go ask again…sounds fishy.”

So I did, again and again, getting the same answer “do nothing, we are withholding your taxes already, you don’t need to file or show tax receipts.”

Wife said, “Doesn’t make sense…ask again.”

So I asked for a tax receipt to be provided to me.

They then said, “Oops, we were confused. Pei Sei. We have not been deducting taxes from your salary. You can do one of three things:

  1. Have us start deducting taxes now for you, but your salary will be less aprx. 20%. Make a payment on your own for the missed deductions.

  2. Make your own tax payment come tax time, and keep accepting your salary as is.

  3. Don’t tell anyone you are working, don’t file taxes, and if anyone asks how you are living in Taiwan, just say you have a rich wife.”

My questions to helpful knowing Forumosans:

  1.) I have a JFRV, have had that JFRV the entire time I have been employed. Does this have any bearing on how I should handle my tax situation? Is anyone at any government office going to be asking about my work status come time to renew my JFRV?

  2.) Which option, 1, 2, or 3, should I do? Or is there a 4th option that I should be making?

[b]  3.) If my employer starts making deductions, I want my salary to be compensated so that my take home pay is truly $70,000 after taxes, since that was what was promised when I was hired. Do you think this is an unfair or impossible demand?[/b]

What planet are you from?

  4.) I have been requesting health insurance from them now for more than 2 months. They keep giving me the same answer…”we are working on it.” If health insurance gets eventually deducted, will this affect my tax status or have a direct bearing on if I should declare that I am working? [/quote]

You have been in Taiwan long enough to marry a local…and you are asking THESE kinds of questions?

Apparently UHC is a system you need to read up on. Known as NHI here. The general understanding will answer half the questions as they are inter related. There after, are the specifics. Research it…then come back.

still can’t believe I am even bothering…