No More Health Insurance Payments! 15 Counties and Cities Announce Automatic Full Payment for Seniors, Nationwide Subsidies Expanded at a Glance

Taiwan has officially entered a super-aged society, and how to reduce medical and living expenses after retirement has become a concern for many families. According to the National Health Insurance Act, health insurance is a compulsory social insurance. Even after citizens retire at age 65, as long as they still have health insurance coverage, they are generally required to pay the premiums. For example, for Category 6 regional residents who are unemployed and have no dependents, the current monthly out-of-pocket maximum is NT$826, amounting to NT$9,912 per year.

2026 Elderly Health Insurance Subsidy Summary for 15 Counties and Cities in Taiwan｜Up to NT$826 per month for seniors aged 65 and above, and a list of counties and cities where no application is required

To reduce the health insurance burden on the elderly, various counties and cities have successively introduced subsidies for the out-of-pocket portion of elderly health insurance premiums. Some local governments have expanded the scope of subsidies in 2026 to cover more seniors aged 65 and above. Some counties and cities have adopted a no-application-required approach, where the government automatically matches data and pays the premiums directly.

However, the age, length of household registration, number of days of residence, and income exclusion criteria vary by location, and not all seniors aged 65 and above are eligible for full subsidies. The following is a summary of the 2026 elderly health insurance subsidies for 15 counties and cities in Taiwan, including eligibility criteria, maximum monthly amount, application method, and implementation timeline, so that eligible seniors can get a clear picture.

Counties and Cities Expanding Elderly Health Insurance Subsidies in 2026

Taitung County｜Up to NT$826 per month for seniors aged 70 and above Eligibility: Seniors who have been registered in Taitung County for at least one year, are aged 70 or above, and have actually resided in Taiwan for a cumulative total of at least 183 days in the past year. Subsidy Content: Eligible individuals will have their health insurance out-of-pocket expenses fully paid by the county, up to a maximum of NT$826 per month, with no income exclusion criteria. Application Method: Eligible individuals do not need to apply; the county will match data with the National Health Insurance Administration and make the payment. Implementation Date: Effective January 1, 2026. In addition, the health insurance subsidy for children under 6 years old registered in Taitung County will be expanded from July 1, 2026. The county government's announced 115-year plan also specifies that the program for seniors aged 70 and above will start on January 1.

Nantou County｜No application required for seniors aged 65 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above who are registered in Nantou County, and indigenous people aged 55 and above. Subsidy Content: No income exclusion; maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. Eligible individuals will receive full payment of their health insurance out-of-pocket expenses. Application Method: No separate application is needed; the county will handle it automatically. Implementation Date: Officially implemented from April 1, 2026.

Hualien County｜Expanded to include seniors aged 65 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above who have been registered in Hualien County for at least one year. In addition, low- and middle-income seniors aged 65 to 69 are also eligible without the one-year registration requirement. Subsidy Content: Maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. If the actual health insurance out-of-pocket amount is less than NT$826, the subsidy will be based on the actual amount. Application Method: Generally, eligible individuals do not need to apply; the Hualien County Government will compile a list and submit it to the National Health Insurance Administration for reduction. Implementation Date: Expanded implementation from June 2026.

Chiayi City｜Full implementation from October for seniors aged 80 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 80 and above who have been registered in Chiayi City for at least six months. Subsidy Content: No income exclusion criteria; maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. Application Method: No application needed; the city government will automatically match data and process it. Implementation Date: Full implementation from October 1, 2026.

Miaoli County｜Subsidies for seniors aged 80 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 80 and above who are registered and actually reside in Miaoli County; indigenous people aged 70 and above are also eligible. Subsidy Content: No income exclusion; maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. Application Method: No application needed; the county will automatically match data and process the health insurance premium reduction. Implementation Date: Pilot program starts from July 2026.

Pingtung County｜Phased expansion of health insurance subsidies Eligibility: Phase 1 targets low- and middle-income seniors aged 65 to 69. Phase 2 expands to seniors aged 65 and above who have been registered for at least one year, and indigenous people aged 55 and above, subject to conditions such as a comprehensive income tax rate of 5% or less. Subsidy Content: Eligible individuals receive subsidies for health insurance out-of-pocket expenses, with a 5% income exclusion threshold. Application Method: Those eligible for Phase 2 do not need to apply; the county will automatically match data. Implementation Date: Phase 1 started in July 2026; Phase 2 is expected to be implemented from January 1, 2027.

Hsinchu City｜Up to NT$826 per month for seniors aged 65 and above starting Q4 Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above who are registered in Hsinchu City, and indigenous people aged 55 and above, who do not receive full subsidies for health insurance out-of-pocket expenses from other government agencies. Subsidy Content: Maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month; policy direction is toward no income exclusion. Application Method: No application needed; the city government will automatically create a roster and match data with the National Health Insurance Administration. Implementation Date: According to the latest September announcement from the Hsinchu City Government, the elderly health insurance out-of-pocket subsidy is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Yunlin County｜Planned implementation in 2027 for seniors aged 65 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above who are registered in Yunlin County. Subsidy Content: Planned maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. Application Method: Planned to be no-application-required; detailed procedures are pending announcement by the county government. Implementation Date: The budget is currently in the relevant process, with implementation planned for January 1, 2027.

Keelung City｜Seniors aged 65 and above meeting registration conditions can apply Eligibility: Citizens aged 65 and above who have been registered in Keelung City for at least three years and continue to reside there; indigenous people aged 55 and above. Subsidy Content: Maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. If the actual amount payable is less than NT$826, the subsidy will be based on the actual amount. Application Method: Unlike most of the above no-application-required counties and cities, Keelung City requires an application to the district office. After review and qualification, the city government will process the subsidy. Implementation Date: According to the current subsidy regulations of the local government.

How to Receive Elderly Health Insurance Subsidies in the Six Special Municipalities? A Look at Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung

In addition to the counties and cities that are expanding or introducing new subsidies in 2026, the six special municipalities—Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung—also have existing elderly health insurance premium subsidy systems. However, the biggest differences among the six municipalities lie in "income exclusion," "health insurance enrollment category," and "whether an application is required."

Taipei City｜20% income tax rate is an important threshold Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above, or indigenous people aged 55 and above, who meet household registration and actual residence conditions. Subsidy Content: Maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. Application Method: Eligible individuals generally do not need to apply; the city government will match data and submit it to the National Health Insurance Administration for reduction. Income Condition: General seniors must meet conditions such as a comprehensive income tax rate of less than 20% in the past year. If the senior is listed as a dependent by their children, the income tax rate of the declaring supporter will be used for determination.

New Taipei City｜Full and partial subsidies based on eligibility Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above, and indigenous people aged 55 to 64, who meet household registration and other conditions. Subsidy Content: Those who meet conditions such as being in Health Insurance Category 3 or 6 and having a comprehensive income tax rate of 5% or less can receive a full subsidy for health insurance out-of-pocket expenses, up to NT$826. Other eligible individuals may receive partial subsidies based on age, enrollment category, and qualifications. Application Method: Partial subsidies may involve application and financial account information; full subsidies are processed based on government data matching. Income Condition: Full subsidies mainly involve a 5% income tax rate threshold.

Taoyuan City｜No application required for eligible seniors aged 65 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above, or indigenous people aged 55 and above, who have been registered and actually resided in Taoyuan City for at least one year, and have resided in Taiwan for a cumulative total of at least 183 days in the past year. Subsidy Content: Maximum of NT$826 per month; if the actual amount is lower, the subsidy will be based on the actual amount. Application Method: No application needed; the Taoyuan City Social Affairs Bureau will match data and submit it to the National Health Insurance Administration for reduction. Income Condition: General seniors must meet conditions such as a comprehensive income tax rate of less than 20% in the past year.

Taichung City｜Income exclusion rules for seniors aged 65 and above Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above, or indigenous people aged 55 and above, who have been registered in Taichung City for at least one year. Subsidy Content: Maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month. Application Method: Eligible individuals will have their data automatically matched by the city government. Income Condition: General applicants must meet conditions such as a comprehensive income tax rate of 5% or less in the past year.

Tainan City｜Seniors aged 65 and above meeting the 5% threshold can receive subsidies Eligibility: Seniors aged 65 and above, or indigenous people aged 55 and above, who have been registered in Tainan City for at least one year. Subsidy Content: Maximum subsidy of NT$826 per month.