Health Coin Aims for September Launch: 'Earn Coins for Taking Action' in Four Key Areas

(Central News Agency reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, June 18) To encourage healthy lifestyles, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has planned the 'Health Coin' initiative. MOHW Minister Shih Chung-liang announced today that the first phase will include government-funded adult health checkups, government-funded cancer screenings, three major vaccine inoculations, and lifestyle assessments—'Earn coins for taking action.' Regarding whether the new program will launch in September, he said, 'We will do our best.'

Originally scheduled to launch in April this year, the Health Coin program targets adults aged 18 and above. However, due to the annual budget still awaiting legislative review, there has been no progress. Today, the Legislative Yuan's Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee reviewed the MOHW's related budget for fiscal year 115 and invited Minister Shih Chung-liang and MOHW officials to attend. Before the meeting, Shih addressed media inquiries and explained the latest progress on the Health Coin program.

Shih explained that the MOHW has held multiple consultation meetings to discuss eligible activities for Health Coin, with the core concept being 'Earn coins for taking action.' The first-phase eligible activities have now been confirmed. For screenings, the focus will be on government-funded programs, including adult health checkups and six government-funded cancer screenings—breast, cervical, colorectal, oral, lung, and gastric cancers—with the goal of significantly increasing national screening rates.

Additionally, Shih noted that the MOHW plans to include both government-funded and self-paid vaccines in the Health Coin reward program. The first phase will prioritize the upcoming influenza, COVID-19, and pneumococcal vaccines, encouraging the public to receive regular vaccinations and enhance their protection.

Beyond medical procedures, the Health Coin program will also include 'Lifestyle Assessments.' Shih explained that citizens who complete a self-assessment questionnaire on their health habits will receive rewards. For the elderly-focused 'Integrated Care for Older People Evaluation' (ICOPE), which includes six functional assessments, the process is more complex, and discussions are ongoing to simplify the assessment and upload procedures. This part has not yet been finalized.

Regarding implementation progress, Shih stated that the MOHW is conducting final checks on the redemption system and backend platform. This month, system and stress testing will begin in collaboration with several pre-negotiated corporate partners to ensure a smooth redemption process.

When asked if the Health Coin program could launch alongside the September school season, Shih responded, 'We will do our best,' adding that an official announcement will be made in the second half of the year. (Edited by Chang Ya-ching) 1150618

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