Could Physical NHI Cards Go the Way of History?|健保署:逾千萬人仍用首發卡 資安已落伍

Will national health insurance cards, which have been in use for over 10 years, go the way of history in the digital era? The Executive Yuan recently discussed changing NHI cards for virtual cards in the model of e-wallets or device binding. The National Health Insurance Administration says NHI IC cards were launched in 2004 and there are still 11 million people using the first batch of cards. These cards are not data secure, but plans to change cards have not yet been finalized.


National health insurance cards debuted over a decade ago. There are various iterations of NHI cards in use, including those with and without photos and IC chips.

First of all, when IC chips don't work, patients have to pay out of pocket first and then come back to get a refund. Second, the photos are certainly not foolproof as identification.

The NHI program launched in 1995 with paper cards. IC chip cards debuted in 2004. To date, there are still 11 million people using first-generation cards. Even though current cards have photos on them, fraud is still a problem. Data security is another issue. Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang recently proposed getting rid of physical cards altogether, but the National Health Insurance Administration says no decision has been made.

This could have a far-reaching impact in many areas. Apart from affecting the general population, it will also affect our hospitals and clinics and how medical data systems are changed in the future. No decision has been made.

The NHIA is planning to move forward with virtual NHI cards that would work like digital wallets. The cards would have contactless and biometric identification functions like fingerprint or iris recognition. The Taiwan Healthcare Reform Foundation says after the virtual cards are launched, there needs to be a period when both types of cards can be used.

People that live in remote areas and old people that see a doctor frequently may not know how to use a mobile phone or digital things. Will there be a digital gap? I think both types of cards need to be accepted in the beginning. There should also be a trial phase.

Opinion on virtual NHI cards is split. According to an NHIA survey, 34 percent support and 34 percent oppose the idea. The NHIA says computer technology is advancing every day and data security needs to be upgraded now that NHI cards can be used to file taxes. It says it will consult with various parties before moving forward.