Government to increase taxes to fund Long-term Care Services / 長照法財源 遺贈稅升至20%.提高菸稅　　　　　　　　　　

On Jan. 11, the amendments bill of the Long-term Care Services Act passed its third reading at the Legislative Yuan. In terms of financial sources, about NT$22 billion is expected from the increased tax revenues of estate and gift tax, and cigarette tax. Adding up to the government's planned budget of NT$17.8 billion for long-term care services in 2018, there will be enough funds to start the first stage of the long-term care programs. On Jan. 11, the Legislative Yuan passed the amendments to the Long-term Care Services Act. In terms of financial sources, besides doubling the estate and gift tax rate to 20 percent, the cigarette tax is to increase by NT$20 per pack. With the government's planned budget of NT$17.8 billion for long-term care services in 2018 and NT$21.8 billion expected from the increased taxes, there will be enough funds to start the first stage of the long-term care programs at NT$33 billion. However, KMT legislator Yen Kuan-heng's proposal was vetoed. It states that family members who have received long-term care training and are taking care of relatives within three degrees can receive a subsidy every month. Although at least NT$33 billion are now available for long-term care services, social welfare groups said that financial sources are still a problem that has not been truly resolved. Starting from 2018, NT$33 billion will be funneled into long-term care programs. The programs' deficit will be supported by government budget. The government will review the financial sources every two years. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH 立法院今天三讀通過長期照顧服務法部分條文的修正案，財源部分，通過行政院版本，將提高遺贈稅至20%，加上提高菸稅、每包菸20元的收入，修法後，預估遺贈稅增加60億稅收，菸稅增加158億，加上明年度預算178億，合計396億，足夠長照第一階段所需的330億。 不過，藍委顏寬恒提出的受過長照訓練、照顧三等親的家屬，得支領補助津貼的提案，則是遭到綠委否決。雖然長照法修正後，財源足夠長照第一階段、資源布建所需的330億，不過，社福團體認為，資金問題一直是長照無法有效推動的痛，未來的資金來源，仍舊是大問題。今天朝野也通過附帶決議，2018年度起，長照第一階段以330億為原則，缺額由政府預算補充，主管機關兩年內，也要通盤檢討財源的建制。 記者 陳佳鑫 林國煌 台北報導