President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced on Saturday that Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) will surpass NT$1 trillion (about US$31 billion) in the 2026 budget, aiming to enhance healthcare services and retain medical professionals.

Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Taiwan Medical Week academic conference, Lai said the proposed budget reflects a policy of high estimates to strengthen care quality and public health. “Next year’s total will again use a high estimate of 5.5 percent. We did not bargain with the medical community—the high estimate is NT$988.3 billion (US$30.5 billion), and with an additional NT$19.9 billion (US$610 million) in government funding, the total surpasses NT$1.008 trillion (about US$31 billion).”

Lai said the higher projection allows hospitals to improve equipment and training without sacrificing quality for profit. He urged healthcare managers to raise salaries and uphold fair pay principles, noting that the government has already increased compensation for staff at public medical institutions by 3%. The president emphasized that the plan encourages “different pay for different work” to reward more complex medical services.

Recounting his transition from doctor to politician during the 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis, Lai said his political philosophy remains rooted in medical ethics, honesty, pragmatism, and problem-solving. “I want to tell all my colleagues and seniors in the medical community that no matter where I am, my heart has never left the medical field.” He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring equitable healthcare and sharing the fruits of economic growth with all citizens, especially the disadvantaged.

Lai also highlighted the five-year “Healthy Taiwan Initiative,” which allocates NT$48.9 billion (US$1.5 billion) to cancer prevention and treatment, including expanded screening and a new cancer drug fund aimed at reducing the nation’s cancer mortality rate by one-third by 2030.