I think so. It’s possible to “avoid” NHI this way (willingly or unwillingly…).
Yes, that’s my understanding.
The big disadvantage of having an APRC while not living in Taiwan (of course, you’d also be entitled to medical care when coming to Taiwan. So depending on your situation, it might actually be quite useful).
You can also hope that they’ll keep giving some money to APRC holders each year which will offset the cost of health insurance: