Taipei: Taiwan's "health token" incentive program set to begin in October will be open to anybody aged 18 and over enrolled in Taiwan's national health insurance program, including foreign nationals, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said Tuesday. The program aims to promote preventive care by rewarding participants with tokens for engaging in designated health activities such as checkups and screenings.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Health Promotion Administration had initially indicated in late August that the program would only be available to Taiwanese nationals. However, the recent announcement by Health Minister Shih opens up the program to a broader audience, including foreign nationals. Negotiations have been finalized with various retail outlets, including supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies, to accept the tokens as a form of currency.
Details on redemption rewards are still being finalized and will be announced later this month. Negotiations have also been conducted with hospitals to allow the use of tokens for out-of-pocket expenses related to vaccinations and health checkups. The tokens are designed to expire two years after they are earned to encourage continuous engagement in preventive health measures.
At a presentation in late August, Health Promotion Administration Director-General Shen Ching-fen explained the token earning system. Participants can earn 800 tokens for a health check and 1,000 tokens for screenings for breast, oral, and lung cancer. Shen mentioned that arrangements have been made for participants to redeem tokens at a rate of NT$1 (US$0.03) per token at participating supermarkets.
However, Shen clarified that tokens cannot be accumulated retroactively. Health checks and screenings conducted between January and September 2026 will not qualify for token accumulation, emphasizing the program's forward-looking approach to preventive healthcare.