NGS Testing Covered by NHI, Benefiting 5,700 People in 2 Years Since Launch

Central News Agency, Taipei, 14th - Since May 2024, when Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) testing was included in the National Health Insurance (NHI) reimbursement, 5,700 people had benefited as of February this year. The NGS data collection mechanism is now further integrated with the electronic medical record FHIR international standard, sharing patients' cross-hospital medical data and medication records via the cloud.

The National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare today held a 'Workshop on the Planning and Implementation of the NGS Data Collection Mechanism,' showcasing the standardized workflow for NGS genetic testing data, and sharing pilot experiences from implementing hospitals and testing units. This aims to achieve effective interoperability and digital transformation of medical data across institutions, gradually realizing the 'Healthy Taiwan' vision.

Since May 2024, the NHIA has included NGS testing in NHI reimbursement. Director-General Chen Liang-yu stated in a press release today that NGS test panels for solid and hematologic tumors are provided to help clinicians formulate personalized treatment plans and precision drug administration, with the NHI injecting NT$300 million in funding.

As of February 2026, a total of 62 hospitals have filed for NGS testing, corresponding to 27 cancer drugs for treating 10 types of cancer, with 5,700 people having benefited.

Chen Liang-yu pointed out that in the past, genetic test reports were mostly created in PDF or unstructured plain text, with inconsistent narrative styles and numerical formats, which hindered the development of medical digitalization and automation.

The NHIA has recently promoted the application for prior authorization of cancer drugs using electronic medical records (FHIR). As of April 2026, 81 hospitals have participated, with 35 of them submitting applications in FHIR format. Statistics from the past three months show that among prior authorization cases for cancer drugs nationwide, liver cancer drugs lead with 29% submitted in FHIR format, followed by colorectal cancer drugs at 24%.

Chen Liang-yu said that this time, the scope has been expanded to NGS genetic testing data, gradually integrating the complete medical information of cancer patients from diagnosis, treatment, to outcome tracking. Subsequently, through the cloud system, patients' cross-hospital medical data and medication records will be shared to facilitate more precise diagnosis and prescription by physicians.

FHIR is like the WWW of the electronic medical record world. Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources has the advantage of high data interoperability, which can solve the dilemma of lacking a unified data exchange standard, and is the new generation of international medical data exchange standard. (Editor: Kuan Chung-wei) 1150514

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