One of the World’s Best Healthcare Systems is Cracking | Gen Taiwan

Taiwan has what is considered one of the world’s best healthcare systems, a single payer system run by the government. Patients pay a premium benchmarked to their income, and co-payments to a general practitioner costs around 2.50 USD.
But this low-cost approach is being challenged with declining birth rates and an aging population adding more pressure. VICE journeys inside Taiwan’s well-oiled health system to understand why change is needed.
#sponsored
Help keep VICE News’ fearless reporting free for millions by making a one-time or ongoing contribution here. - vice.com/contribute
Subscribe to VICE News here: bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News
Check out VICE News for more: vicenews.com
Follow VICE News here:
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@vicenews?lang=en
Facebook: / vicenews
Twitter: / vicenews
Instagram: / vicenews
More videos from the VICE network: www. vicevideo
Follow VICE World News here:
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@viceworldnews...
Twitch: / vice
Facebook: / viceworldnews
Twitter: / viceworldnews
Instagram: / viceworldnews
#VICENews #News

[@junemiller9718]

That doctor made me cry he is truly serving his life's purpose

[@maximilianmcmxxiii963]

What doesn't make you cry?

[@arcmting]

@@maximilianmcmxxiii963 your mama comes to mind

[@nathaliecowong]

Me too. 😭

[@crtteng]

My family (wife and I plus our younger son) was on a Taiwan trip recently. My son, a 4th year resident at the University California Irvine hospital, developed a severe cough & fever with a self-diagnosed symptom of hernia in his lower left abdomen. We decided to interrupt our trip with an emergency room visit to a community hospital in Taichung. We were in and out of the hospital in about an hour. In that time, he had a chest X-ray (lungs are clear), checked over by the ER doc with diagnose (a severe cold with advise on how to monitor the hernia) who spent about 30 min with us, drew the meds- all for non-insurance-covered out of pocket expense of equivalent $100 USD- and we continued on with our trip. I asked my son about this experience (as a patient and a physician). “Very good” he said. “ Better than UCI?” I asked. He nodded his head.

[@fineway7053]

So your son self-diagnosed himself and they went with it without doing any scans of the abdomen. Wild.

[@kenanna]

You don’t need a scan you can see an abdominal hernia

[@mookfaru835]

America's system doesn't work. I have the best insurance and I'm waiting 1 year since a strike on my head. The doctors don't spend time with you, and don't believe you.

[@Sjalabais]

This is so recognisable. I know of no country where these exact same issues aren't straining the healthcare system. From the more socialised systems like Norway to the wildly expensive, injust, and ineffective US healthcare system, everyone is struggling to pay healthcare staff enough to make the job attractive. Aging societies set up healthcare systems to fail. This video is very good in showing these trends in great clarity though.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

The problem is cost of living is rising exponentially to the point that many couples reject having kids, while those who want to do so cannot afford to have them.

[@robocop581]

HK public Healthcare is doing fine. Same with Singapore

[@aslan4767]

HK and Singapore are exceedingly rich city states@@robocop581

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Beverly Hills Berita Harian

[@soccerguy325]

Wow if only these countries would accept more immigrants to help bolster their faltering birth rate! Oh, but I have a feeling you rather wouldn't have that, would you?

[@aiatgamer375]

They have to start paying the medical staff better. Nurses should not be paid so little.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Taiwan actually has one of the highest salaries for medical personnel in the Asia-Pacific. It's just that some are too selfish and migrate to the US, because there you have less workloads but more money.

[@dariusalexandru9536]

@@ianhomerpura8937 less work in the USA are you high ?

[@ianhomerpura8937]

@@dariusalexandru9536 compared to hospitals in most countries, yes.

[@wave-zd5sm]

@@ianhomerpura8937 ⁠You must be a fake Taiwanese or an ignorant one😑

[@echochamber1234]

@@dariusalexandru9536 get out of your euro bubble and see how the rest of the world works., yes Americans work more than Europeans, but a lot less than most places including Asia.

[@justinyang21114798]

I am Taiwanese and I grew up in Taiwan. So many of the places shown here are places I am familiar with. I got both of my wisdom teeth taken out at the Veterans General Hospital and it costs me maybe like 20 usd.

[@clownchkn]

I could have taken them out for you for $5. : )

[@thornados4969]

$10 could be the standard hospital registration fee and $10 surgical doctor's consultation fee. So basically, the tooth extraction was covered by health insurance.

[@thornados4969]

@@clownchkn In a small clinic yes.

[@justinyang21114798]

@thornados4969 I think he might have meant as a joke lol 🤣🤣🤣

[@justinyang21114798]

@thornados4969 yes pretty much. Veteran General Hospital is also "cheaper" cause they are also a med school/training hospital, aka my surgery was also used a demo for the trainee dentist. Since they only did partial anesthetics, it was definitely quite interesting to listen to my dentist narrating through my entire surgery 😅

[@user-gm2uz4tj8t]

I'm Taiwanese-American. I have friends who are doctors in Taiwan and I've had relatives treated in the Taiwanese medical system. One of my rheumatologist friends would see up to 90-100 patients a day in clinic from 7 AM - 7 PM. You barely have 5-10 minutes to see each patient. The staff is overwhelemed. To the American doctors who average 20-30 pateints a day in clinic, imagine seeing 90-100. How can you provide quality care seeing that many patients? Plus they are paid 1/3 to 1/2 of what American healthcare workers make. Granted the cost of living is lower in Taiwan compared to the US. You don't hear about strikes from healthcare workers in Taiwan. Top doctors are going to other countries such as the US or into specialities where they can make more money like cosmetics.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

I really don't get why medical practitioners are so obsessed with making money, and want to migrate to the US for more bucks. Plus really, it seems their goal is less workload, more money. Such selfish pricks.

[@Matias_L]

@@ianhomerpura8937I ReALLy dOnT geT WhY PeOPLe dONt WoRK for FrEe

[@ianhomerpura8937]

@@Matias_L um no, screw you. I know that, but still they already have high salaries back home.

[@askosefamerve]

​@@Matias_LIt's funny how they don't like doctors want money too but come and talk with them about socialism and they start saying how shitty it is.

[@mateofernando5066]

To quote the great Gordon Gekko from wall street " Greed is Good". All doctors in the USA only care about money. That's the only reason they went into medicine. Wheras in other countries like Taiwan, people go into medicine as a vocation and the motivation to help people supercedes selfish greed for a high income that would allow one to become a millionaire.

[@i.k.8868]

There is not a staffing problem, but a salary problem. With such low prices they could easily double or triple the costs of healthcare and it wouldn't hurt anyone. Then you could actually pay healthcare workers a decent wage.

[@Hyrule_Origin]

You know you didn't watch the video when they answered your "the could increase the costs of healthcare and it wouldn't hurt anyone" at the 13:00 mark. Hint: Politicians/Presidents/Ministers don't resign unless they did something UNPOPULAR.

[@i.k.8868]

@@Hyrule_Origin Who cares if something is popular. An honest politician just does what is necessary. If the Taiwanese politicians can't do their jobs, they are sad losers. If the Taiwanese people don't understand basic economics, that is the fault of a failing education system.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Taiwan already has one of the highest salaries for medical personnel in the Asia-Pacific. They move to the US because with less work they get more money. Selfish pricks.

[@Booksadicted]

Also these „low“ prices are not low for many people there I can imagine . Think of the example a family of four lives on 1200 usd. And then imagine your child has a brain tumour and yes you „only“ have to pay 4000 usd. But for people living on 1200 that’s huge

[@patriciamarie4709]

It’s true Taiwan has one of the best healthcare in the world and I’m very grateful for that benefit. I had some minor check ups before only costs me around $8 including my medicine for the next 2 weeks. Forever grateful taiwan

[@Meimoons]

Omg someone in my state (USA) working minimum wage could afford that just by working one hour. How is that even possible??

[@lexaneli]

Yes, as someone who once lived in Taiwan i can testify to having one of the best and affordable health care!

[@chromelemon]

Same. I frequently skip medical care here due to the cost.

[@user-eh2hj8bx6i]

Somebody is profiting too much somewhere in the system but it's not the doctors or nurses. They should do outreach and recruit ambitious students who come from low income backgrounds and pay for all their schooling and training. It's horrible in the west. We wonder why some doctors only want to become dermatologists or some other high earning specialist ... it's because schooling is expensive, extremely expensive these days, and residency doesn't pay well. It's a struggle if you don't have rich parents willing to support you. Educate and train people from low income backgrounds and pay them fairly if you want them to stay and practice in needy areas or medical care deserts.

[@victoriachen6879]

they already do that by giving out scholarships and make them serve for a few years in those high-demand specialties in rural areas, but then most leave the rural areas after their bond ends so its an endless loop.

[@hollywoodundeadandpinkguyf2842]

This is one of the issues with a low fertility rate leading to a declining population. Less taxpayers and more demand means declining resources for a system while having higher demand.

[@PapagenoMF]

Yes, they said that in the video.

[@msunje9862]

Wouldn’t their low population eventually even out with the demand rate ?

[@Thekidisalright]

@@msunje9862lol, do you actually knows how economy works? An aging population with a shrinking workforce means lesser people paying for the taxes to subsidies increasing medical expenses, older people are statically proven to require more medical aids and care, how could that be even out lol

[@jon9103]

​@@msunje9862eventually the population will likely stabilize but that's a slow process taking decades and by that point the damage is already done. The issue isn't so much the population is shrinking, it's that shrinking birthdate skews the age distribution so you have fewer working age people for the same number of retirees, so there isn't enough labor to take care of the elderly and do everything else that keeps the economy going.

[@derekl190]

The healthcare system in Taiwan is not cracking and is still working better than many developed countries. Becuase there is no profitability measure for public good, it is always a challege for the government to optimise the balance between service quality and costs. Healthcare providers in these developed systems are always seen to be overworked but they are also very highly paid even for the junior helpers. This is the perception of prestige and professionalism the system is trying to create in order to attract high quality people to the industry. The "alternative" which is oftern found in less developed countries, is lower quality, with shorter working hours with higher number of lower paid and lower quality quality employees, which is a system most citizens in developed countires would not want to entrust their lives with.

[@TaiwanisMoving]

Don't get it twisted tho. I live in Taiwan and like with any country's healthcare system, there are issues. There are issues with the elderly overusing services and a bit of fraud (charging for things that haven't been done). Prices need to go up a little to keep it afloat, and I think people will be OK with that. I am coming from the perspective of the American healthcare system which is a nightmare.

[@ChouDaphne]

Taiwanese are spoiled and have no clear understanding of how fortunate they are with the universal health care system. you would think that ppl would be ok with that, but the fact is that's not the case. People are narrow-minded; they think that any increase in fees the government stealing money from them instead of thinking about how we're long it takes to add more foundation to the crumbling system. Mindset changes need to happen for Taiwan to preserve the system that we have

[@2NormalHuman]

the currency conversion in this video is wrong. NTD 2.4 million is 76k USD, not 750k as shown in the video

[@erbiumfiber]

Yes, I mean, even in the US can do a brain surgery for under 750k...

[@zephyrschiesser5408]

When they talk about staffing problems, all I can think about is how many people work in factory jobs or sweat shops making some random trash like fast fashion.

[@jessicaphillips763]

Love these informative videos thanks vice.

[@TD-np6ze]

about Aging Population - at some point going to need to allow some flexibility in allowing individuals the consideration of rights to exit peacefully without being forced to endure extremely expensive protocols that onky prolong misery and fatten prodits for investors -- at the expense of the quality of life for future generations!!!

[@leonardodavinci3589]

This makes me wonder- is any health system on earth not struggling?

[@ivanleong2608]

Maybe USA?😂😂😂

[@jcleemd]

The perfect health system in Taiwan is strenuously upheld by the great sacrifice from doctors and healthcare workers. Premiums should be raised as well as copayments to lessen unnecessary appointments and the burden on the system. Taiwanese who are accustomed to easy access of medical care should be re-educated on how not to wasted limited resources provided.

[@geobus3307]

The cost needs to be covered somewhere. If it's already running efficiently without corruption, it sounds like to the public will need to absorb more. This is currently unsustainable for the staff. How can the doctors provide quality care? When professionals are forced to cut corners on patient care many will leave due to ethical concerns. This and salary are major reasons why can't get enough doctors and nurses to work there. I woukd bet many in the public would be willing to pay more to see the system run better and be more fair to the staff.

[@victoriachen6879]

really? try making the public pay more in the next election and poof your votes vanish - its like magic! XD as we speak they are devising even more ways to cut costs and pay healthcare staff even LESS. methods like capping medical expenditures in districts so hospitals have to compete against each other for the same slice of pie... and giving only a fraction of the treatment fee to the hospital (i.e. 70-90%)

[@zombieowen]

We're seeing this in Canada too.

[@duancoviero9759]

no not really, we are sabotaging your health system so we can turn it private.

[@zombieowen]

@@duancoviero9759 It's working!

[@spikerzombie]

Yeah but U.S. spending 4.2 trillion😂

[@vivalaleta]

We cannot forever keep upping the numbers of our population. There's going to be difficulties as we adjust to a stable level of births.

[@tienouchou]

This could be France. There is one main payer with complementary insurances in France. The issues are the same. No health job attractivity and aging population generating a higher demand pressure on the health system.

[@MoonstoneStarChaser]

Same scenario as South Korea. Taiwan’s health insurance premiums are less than a quarter of my own

[@alexanderh.999]

I can truly say that Taiwan has one of the best healthcare system in the world.

[@hafunland894]

What is sorely missing in the Taiwanese system is good ol American capitalism! We have HMOs and have the most expensive health care in the world and rank number 23 and despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall compared with six other industrialized countries-Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom-on measures of quality, efficiency, access to care, equity, and the ability to lead long, healthy life.

[@larryc1616]

Lobbyists buy out Republican politicians = crony capitalism

[@mateofernando5066]

The reason the premiums are affordable unlike the USA is because all the profit motivation has been removed. So, if the profit motive is gone, there is no incentive to deny care as much as possible and jack up the premiums as high as possible. Because its almost universal, the care is now rationed by the queue or wait time instead of ability to pay. This is the price of a system that allows everyone to access, as money is not infinite and you cannot keep raising the premiums forever or to a level that no one can afford it. So, as much as I hate the USA for profit system because of inequity for access, I never had to wait to get the tests and treatment (as I had employer covered insurance).

[@alaskayoung3413]

Interesting to me as a nurse that all these other countries have nursing shortages as well as the United States. It’s such a ruff job and just keeps getting worse and worse every year.

[@nicow6808]

Real Vice is back?

[@WaqarAslam2000]

I completely disagree with the title of the video. You should have instead written that Tiwan's healthcare system is facing some challenges. There are no cracks shown in this report. Edit: The birth rate crisis can be fixed with immigration. For example, experts say that Germany needs about 400,000 migrants each year just to keep the economy afloat. And they do bring in more people than that in their country. Of course, it comes with its own challenges but you should know that it is fixable.

[@genning7246]

I mean seemingly the problem with some Asian countries like China and Japan is that they aren't willing to allow the level of immigration that would create a sustainable population. Whether its cultural or some kind of ethnocentrism these countries just aren't letting that many people in.

[@martinfiedler4317]

Immigration cannot substitute children. Germany is a good example for this. The German government has invited immigrants for decades to fill low paying positions. This has caused severe social problems. But of course, it is the easier approach for big business, and they don't care about the damage done to regular folks...

[@ianhomerpura8937]

​@@martinfiedler4317 social problems will only happen if integration is not as thorough.

[@martinfiedler4317]

@@ianhomerpura8937 The reality is that mass-scale integration always results in - substantial - social problems: - see Europe today - see the US today - see Japan in the early 20th century - see the US East coast in the late 19th/early 20th century So, integration is never "as thorough"...

[@martinfiedler4317]

@@julm7744 _"Tmost migrants in Taiwan are Filippinos, Vietnammese, or other Chinnese. They are from the same region(East or SE Asia) and they actually work and pay taxes"_ Guess, you are referring to the low-salary laborers. Many of them work under highly questionable conditions -especially those in the fishing industry. And yes, these people demonstrate very well, that immigrants to Taiwan are poorly integrated and related to social problems.

[@kacheenasvariety9414]

Thats a very cheap premium. $77usd if it increased to $200 thats still generous!

[@ivanteo1973]

It's the norm in countries with advanced economy and ageing population. Singapore is also 5.9%, like Taiwan.

[@akadopeboi]

As a paramedic with 10 years experience i really dont know why they dont use us more in hospital. Its starting to become a thing but we are so sturdy and alotnof it seems like nurses and doctors just not wanting to give up on money or overtime. Use us! We have vital.emwrgebcy and assesment experience. We are ready to respond anywhere.

[@car678ol]

Malaysia subsidises even more, can’t imagine how it sustain even until now

[@julianachen5852]

Thank you for producing a truly realistic picture of healthcare. it happens everywhere.

[@kospencer1]

The problem is less apparent now the current government reported a consecutive years of surplus, but under the past KMT government they had to introduce several new taxes such as taxing landlords for healthcare, exposing sustainability problems of the healthcare system.

[@LucasRodmo]

In Germany, the hospitals started to import nurses from Brazil. Maybe there's a way out. (The reason in the choice is that nurses in Brazil are far more qualified than most of Europe. Nursing in Brazil is a high degree education path. In Germany, is a technician degree)

[@cliffchang32]

One of my family members used to work as the head of accountant in Taiwanese government. It has been known for a long time that there's a finance deep hole in the healthcare system, but no one wants/dare to face the problem directly. While everyone is praising how cheap and how good the healthcare system is, no one knows that the government is actually moving the fundings from other places to cover the deep hole in the healthcare system. Those fundings were supposed to be used to improve the local infrastructure and benefits, but are now being used to cover the healthcare system, and yet it's still in huge negative each year. So while everyone is praising the government for doing a good job on heathcare, no one knows that they're actually losing so much because so many projects were cancelled. And yet whenever someone brought up the problem and proposed to reform the systmen, he will get huge flame from the public and has to step down in the end. Similar to the gun law in the US, despite everyones knows the system needs to be refored, but no one dare to touch it because they don't want to lose in the next election. So whenever someons is praising how good the healthcare system is, I'd always laugh at them. Because they think they're benefiting from it so much, while in fact they're losing so much because of it. I don't think the system need to be cancelled completely, but it definitetly needs to be reformed. The fees need to be increased, the compensation percentage needs to be lower a bit, and there should be a limit on how many non-emergency appointments the healthcare will cover. It might sounds unbelievable to people who never lived in Taiwan, but there are actually tons of old people in Taiwan that'd simply go to the hospital for no reason because it's so cheap. They'd take hospitals like parks and go there everyday for simply no reason, some would even find it weird if they don't go to the hospital and see a doctor. It's somehow wasting the resources and dragging down the system, because the manpower and funds that can be used to attend the people in need, are now being waste on people who have no illness. Anyways, there are many solutions, but the problem cannot be resolved until the day Taiwanese people finally realise the issue and embrace the harsh fact. I just hope that someone they will open up their mind and accept the fact that something needs to be changed.

[@kingtan5179]

salary toooo low to nurse

[@lodz8666]

This feels like a private healthcare promotion. The issue is government's not prioritizing healthcare, not single payer system.

[@duancoviero9759]

you nailed it, I wonder why they don't train more doctors to lessen the workload on their staff. I know for a fact here in America, we restrict how many new doctors we allow into the system to restrain supply but i wonder what is going on Taiwan. The problem is definitely not the system.

[@i.k.8868]

Wow that is SO cheap!!

[@aurora6920]

It should be free

[@cz2301]

When are you guys going to add English subs to your videos about Taiwan? Not only to the Chinese parts? You do it right for every other Vice video, why not here too?

[@baljembali7228]

its happening all across the globe... We in Malaysia are facing with the shoratges of nurses and junior doctors

[@perfusionist999]

The issue stated here is literally the same in every developed country on the world. The elderely require much more health care and thus lay a greater toll on the system and this will only increase further. If doctors wouldnt work north of 80 hours per week with no additional pay most hospitals would be done already.

[@yougetaspear7799]

My goodness gracious....And best of luck to all in need of help 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

[@MrAlen6e]

I see a lot of similarities between the Canadian system and the Taiwanese system in regards to the systematic issues that need to be addressed. This was very interesting video

[@Hereticked]

Wait... So when you under-fund a health system and pay nurses like crap, it starts to crack and fail? Wow, that's crazy. 🙄

[@oguogu8177]

I am a retired Taiwanese American and live in Houston. I am a heart patient needing a heart surgery and after all kinds of test for 4 months, I’m still waiting for the surgery. I have a brother who is a doctor in Taiwan, he told me the waiting that I have would never happen in Taiwan.

[@oguogu8177]

@@vain101 nobody is entitled to anything, we are all in God’s hand, trust me, that’s including you.

[@Booksadicted]

Very interesting but I would argue that neurosurgery in children and neurology are not like the best examples because not many want to do it (at least in Germany) what about internal medicine or ophthalmology? Do they face the same problems?

[@QpoDkdk-nu3lc]

This is very similar to what is happening in Korea

[@fannychu3992]

I’m Taiwanese nurse, but I am working in the States rn due to the low pay in Taiwan. I worked overtime without getting paid. High patient ratio is the norm for us. We don’t have PCU in Taiwan, basically we held PCU patient in med-surg, and we have 8 patients in days, 16 patients in nights. No tech, no phlebotomist, everything is on nurse

[@ChouDaphne]

So sorry to hear this.... Nurses, Doctors, and frontline workers should all be paid more. The only way to do that is for people also to not be selfish but think of the generation after them to be willing to allow the government to increase fees so that you guys can get paid more. Also, act responsible... it shocked me how often my friends in Taiwan visit hospitals, there's a lot of abuse in the system that needs to be changed

[@Sophie-cw7bf]

Yep I knew when I was. Younger there would be. To many people in this planet 😢😢

[@MonaMoreish]

the sad thing is in some countries, the "training" that the doctors needed for their skill, is mostly paid by themselves. which is why the amount of specialized doctors will decrease

[@bruhmoment879]

If you’ve signed up for the national health insurance program you’ve to pay a monthly fee every month, normally this combined fee won’t be enough to cover the entire spending on the healthcare system so the government usually get those money from the treasury, which is tax money, the problem now is that people are wasting medical resource so much that the treasury department has to cut budget of other departments like, the education budget, the defense budget, blah blah blah, so that’s why there’s been a proposal to raise the monthly fee

[@a_bar8579]

The peoples of East Asia do not defy the robots they make! They are amazing peoples.

[@duancoviero9759]

just like the US, they don't train enough doctors. The system is really good but you need to have people that will do the work for the system to work. Here in America we do that on purpose to restrain supply and keep prices for healthcare high, over there who knows?

[@inggermanydeutschland3808]

Too much unnecessary task and paper work for the nurses.

[@freejay6091]

Look at germany. Same story.

[@cintaapakah5799]

Taiwan 🇹🇼 is the best

[@stephenmcfarland2298]

Why are you re-releasing a video released on October 11, 2023?

[@Sarah-pj4vo]

If they say the healthcare system in Taiwan is collasping, they should come to the UK and hold their breath.....the NHS has surpassed collapse and is now on life support. But it's still better than nothing, as private healthcare is not always an option*, even if it can offer better overall treatment. * ( especially when your health gets the best of you, and you can't work like before).

[@shopnstuff8228]

hmm MAYBE COST OF LIVING HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH BIRTH RATES I WONDER

[@NicholasEllis-pe2lk]

Vice is real .

[@alexnorth3393]

Low cost but not "no cost". Here in the UK our healthcare is actually free.

[@truth-hurts3089]

Sounds like the UK

[@vitalytarasov1658]

Impossible to listen only, please dub foreign speech instead of subtitles.

[@genocidegrand2057]

took 2 month to get ct scan

[@erbiumfiber]

In TW?? Really? I got mine in 2 days after breast cancer diagnosis.

[@genocidegrand2057]

@@erbiumfiber if you already diagnosed maybe faster.

[@erbiumfiber]

@@genocidegrand2057 Probably true- they had two weeks to do CT, MRI, bone scan, some other stuff that I already forgot (bunch of blood tests, urine tests, EKG and such). To get a CT scan to do a diagnosis, maybe that's longer-also...the hospital, if they have more or fewer machines, etc. But nothing crazy like other countries, that's for sure, I consider that I was unbelievably lucky to be doing it here in TW rather than the US, everything happened so quickly.

[@genocidegrand2057]

@@erbiumfiber if you got a chance try it in malaysia. done in 1 day or same day for most checkups.

[@fearsomebunny]

I want to see this in a positive light. I want to see this as a case study for what the lowest cost of universal healthcare is and now form unions and negotiate a fair wage where staff shortage stops being an issue. Because the "healthcare" in America is absolutely criminal. Now that's a case study of messaging. Perfect the art and you'd have people voting against their own interest. I can only imagine how rich people gets off from their political campaign ROI.

[@ewe6442]

Better yet, the title should be “the health care system has crashed and is a tragedy for many Taiwanese doctors who have lost their lives due to working overtime. Families and friends have lost their love ones due to irresponsibility of the system and the society as a whole.

[@lani2023]

Generally speaking, immigration might help with this. Of course that's a highly fraught proposition in this day and age but it's probably worth exploring.

[@victoriachen6879]

the main problem with the taiwan healthcare system is that it tries to be an insurance vehicle and social welfare at the same time, so everyone pays a salary-dependent flat rate much like taxes (and guess who pays the most - salaried workers) and enjoy a healthcare buffet regardless of health condition.. also, it tries to do too much, covering almost everything under the sun, from common colds to cancer. Due to the TW electorate system, no politician will want to ask for a system reform if they want to win the popular vote. They dont want to risk losing by angering the public. And with taiwan's ageing society, which age-group garners the most votes? Retirees and people close to retiring! And of course these people will want more welfare... Also, in taiwan, there are no penalties for PATIENTS who doctor-shop. Everything is the healthcare provider's fault. They only account for a tiny fraction of votes so who cares what they think!

[@mrabab1958]

Even wenn it cracks it will be better then here in te USA.

[@billymartin665]

The problem is red tape preventing the increase in qualified staff.

[@drkarenbukharibukhari9931]

NHS is best

[@Waltaere]

Viceee 😃

[@shijersey8336]

it is a world problem

[@treedriller]

Be right, turn right.

[@hchen8635]

The general public in Taiwan has been brainwashed to think that it's their right to pay such little to get so much. I am not in medical sector but I do think it's a joke that you only pay as little as a few hundreds TWD to see a specialist in a hospital ( and often get the same day appointment ) The whole system is designed to fail ( just look at UK NHS )

[@MyHanck]

When people are suffering and dying, they need to hear God’s promise cannot fail. They need to hear the other voice, apart from the voice of the law.

[@HungryEatNow]

All plastics are single use…

[@sk3tch982]

It’s bad. But the opposite is just as bad. Here in the U.S. the staff gets paid well and yet we still receive bad service. Especially from the nurses who are the maids of the hospital.

[@SaunterVaguelyDown]

Paid so well in US? You clearly aren't a nurse and you must not know any either. 😂

[@Rommie26]

@@SaunterVaguelyDowndo your research. American nurses and doctors are some of the highest paid in the world

[@SaunterVaguelyDown]

@Rommie26 Actually Switzerland has the best paid nurses. And according to reports by The International Council of Nurses, American nurses are underpaid, undervalued and face larger gender pay gap than other sectors. Hence why so many of them quit during covid. They just weren't getting paid enough to put up with that bs. They're not as poorly paid as teachers but considering how tough their jobs are and how VITAL they are, no they aren't paid "great" wages. Also there's a big pay gap depending on the location, age and gender of the nurses. Not to mention their education.

[@darreldennis7115]

@@SaunterVaguelyDown nurses in the US are paid more than 3x than an average nurse in UK and 2x than most European countries. Switzerland is such an expensive country to live in. The closest place with living cost similar tp Switzerland is like southern cali and nurses there get paid way more than in Switzerland (average 150k a year). My source: my mom and sister are nurses in US. My mom's sister is a nurse in Switzerland.

[@iwantanewhead2976]

Nurses are the worst humans. They act like they are doctor, but they can only sweep the floor and fill basic form of patient information

[@jinkynibalbos1209]

🙏

[@inggermanydeutschland3808]

五大科（辛苦的）醫生 慢慢有斷層

[@Emc2Eggs]

tsmc AI

[@SaynabYusuff]

As a Canadian it's the same way. We wait 10 hours so a doctor can spend 5 minutes with you and send you home. They ask you fo see your family doctor but there's no enough family doctors. I think private health care is better.

[@captaindave88]

How would private healthcare solve anything if the root of the problem is we don't have enough staff doctors and nurses...?

[@solarmoth4628]

Private is not better. You might not be able to see one at all because you can’t afford it. And you still have to wait a long time. I had to wait 3 months to see a specialist doctor and that’s considered fast in the US vs being able to make an appointment and see one within a couple of days in Taiwan. Some people have to wait 6 months to a year just to see a new primary care doctor in the US. Many patients in the US don’t have primary care doctors either so there’s no follow up until you end up back in hospital or urgent care. And the doctor still spends 5 minutes with you, It’s not working. Plus the shortage problem is still an issue.

[@tylermcfadden9237]

@@captaindave88private healthcare allows for higher pay and compensation to nurses and doctors which incentivizes more people to go to school for it and pursue it as a career

[@ivydickson7596]

People need to take more responsibility for their own health. Go back to real human diet. High fats and meat. We have been lied to the last 50 years. No need for all the medications.

[@eypxmwgovmifuon7808]

Where in Canada is this? We are experiencing the exact same problem in New Zealand.

[@ayushchoubey635]

Thank god i was not born in USA

[@wasilimpeh-sl6nn]

Immigration, immigration, immigration

[@jeansherwood2428]

Taiwan going down the American road to for profit healthcare. What a shame.

[@alonerpro]

Indian doctors need just 2 minutes to understand a patient's problem.🙂

[@7_of_9]

Money is not everything, IT'S THE ONLY THING!!!

[@omararreola5449]

For me this highlights how a single layer system isn’t the whole answer , it’s not a black or white solution. I think there should be a combination where people qualify for lower price insurance automatically if they are under a certain income but I think private insurance should still be available since competition and money really motivate high paying jobs and incentive for nurses and doctors. I see the uk pay low ages how can people be motivated when financial independence is far out of reach. I think people should have coverage automatically but still pay co payments and premiums. There has to be a balance with inclusion for sick people

[@newinhuman]

i want to say this sounds great in the short term where doctors and patients find a balance between moneys but in the long term it can be overwhelming as population increases and care is an affordable option. In the US health care premiums are very expensive so we dont look for doctors to solve our problems. We self diagnose and self medicate with over the counter options and home and natural remedies. If we had affordable premiums our system would collapse... When it comes to prenatal care and infancy death rates I wonder if this is due to an abundance of care and statistical accuracy. If doctors teach you care then the populace learns and grows without the need for doctors but there are still certain variables like miseducation online and exposure to hazardous medication.

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

The US has the worst infant mortality rate of any industrialized nation, so I think it's over abundance of care...

[@user-tl1vx8yg8l]

Overly generous... Not sustainable

[@duancoviero9759]

definitely not true, it is only unsustainable because they are not training enough people to do the job not because of the system that is RATED #1. If they are not training more people then they are doing it on purpose.

[@thelastbison2241]

What is Ukraine's current health system and what it will be in 1-3 years???

[@heinzlockigehaar]

Raise the premium ! Simple solution. Let citizens go abroad leisure traveling less won't harm anyone but benefit all.

[@MHS-ql7ee]

That mask worship is truly vile in Taiwan.

[@Buttersausage]

Free Taiwan

[@chadwickelliott1461]

from who?

[@scoon2117]

Socialism always cracks

[@jeansherwood2428]

And healthcare works so well in America.

[@duancoviero9759]

yeah because capitalism is....great 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@quill444]

_Yes! We Have No Bananas!_ 🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 You cannot title a piece by saying something is "one of the best" and then say it "is cracking"; it's not the best if it is cracking, so the title is incongruous and misleading. - j q t -