The China Post
Date: January 1, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Private medical clinics are mulling an increase to patients’ payments as a result of rising costs following the implementation of the five-day workweek.

Tseng Tzu-chan, head of the Taiwan Medical Clinic Association (TMCA), said the five-day workweek stipulated by the revised labor law was adding operational costs — in the form of more overtime pay — to the private clinics offering services during the weekend, according to the Central News Agency.

To cover the extra costs, clinics may have to have patients pay more in registration fees, which are at the clinics’ discretion, Tseng reportedly said.

Registration fees requested from patients by clinics usually range from NT$50 to NT$100.

Clinics cannot adjust the patients’ copayments set by the National Health Insurance program.    [FULL  STORY]