Key Changes You Should Know About Long Term Care 3.0 on the Road

        In response to the challenges of an aging society, the "Long Term Care Ten Year Plan 3.0" will be launched in three stages starting from September 2025, in order to integrate communities, institutions, medical systems, and social welfare resources, provide more accurate and continuous care services, comprehensively strengthen support for family caregivers and long-term care service institutions, and implement the vision of healthy aging, local aging, and peaceful and healthy ending. The key implementation points and dates are all in this issue's' Health Column '.

        1、 Phase 1: Implementation from September 1, 2025

                1. Relax the requirement for families of caregivers who hire foreign caregivers to apply for community-based care services within the original approved quota: Given that community care models such as day care and home care can alleviate or delay the disability of patients through social interaction, even if foreign caregivers are already employed at home in the future, they can still apply for community-based care services within the original approved quota to promote social participation and care utilization rate.

        2. Expand the scope and payment amount of community transportation transfer (BD03) services: include day care services for people with disabilities in the applicable scope, and increase the payment amount. In general, the NTD for each trip in certain areas is 100, which is raised to NTD 115; Each trip from NTD 120 to NTD 140 in the original and outlying areas.

        3. Increase the payment amount for Nutritional Care Services (CB01): The number of services and payment amount will be adjusted from NTD 4000 per combination (4 times) to NTD 4500 per combination (3 times) to improve the quality of nutritional guidance services.

        4. Adjust the content of home breathing services (GA09): Considering the practical needs of care, the accompanying exercise programs of breathing services are more flexible, and the service locations can be relaxed to outdoor spaces outside the home under safe conditions.

        2、 Phase 2: Implementation from January 1, 2026

        Expand the coverage of long-term care: Include all age groups (including dementia and disability patients under 50 years old) in the care scope, assist young disability patients in delaying the progression of the disease through early professional intervention, and further share the pressure of family caregivers.

        3、 Phase Three: Implementation from July 1, 2026

        Rental smart technology assistance: In the past, only some sunshine and accommodation institutions introduced smart care technology. This time, the application scope will be extended to home care, and a new smart assistive device rental system will be added. A quota of NTD 60000 every 3 years can be used to lease 5 major assistive devices, including: relocation, mobility, bathing and excretion, home care beds, and safety observation, making it convenient for users to flexibly replace suitable assistive devices according to their needs.

        The journey of long-term care is no longer a solitary battle. If you have service application needs, you can apply to the long-term care management centers in various counties and cities, or call the 1966 long-term care service hotline for relevant information. Make good use of social resources, let professional services relieve your worries and build a strong and powerful backing. (Source: Ministry of Health and Welfare)

        *Image source: freepik

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