Taichung elderly card related services are expanded to be used in clinics and taxi from September sequentially; the deputy Director of Health Bureau, the City Government Nan-song Chen indicated, the citizens can use their elderly cards to pay the copayment and registration fee at 30 polyclinics in Taichung. And it’s estimated to have 100 and more first line clinics to provide the same services from 17th September as well. Director of Transportation Bureau Yi-chuan Wang mentioned, another source of services will be provided by around 1,500 taxicabs from 25th September 25 to offer the elderly card related discounts.

Director of Social Affairs Bureau Chien-der Lu said, Taichung elderly cards have been issued with the accumulated quantities of 312,017, the eligible people registered for use achieves 74.9%. Elderly card holders may enjoy NT$1000 of free points but only 25% of them have used the benefits before. The used rate is still low. Therefore, the City Government would like to expand the service scope of elderly card to the hospital visits and transportation of taxi. The elderly and the disabled people are encouraged to visit doctors as early as required to maintain their health and improve the convenience of transportation.

Director of Transportation Bureau Yi-chuan Wang pointed out, the administration process of taxi services including cost split, payment remittance, training of drivers and equipment set-up is somewhat complicated so it’s expected to be ready for implementation in September. So far, there is one taxi team would like to cooperate and provide the related services. So the City Government will follow the Taipei model to allow the people to use elderly card to take taxi by calling the assigned hotline; the detailed information for calling the cab will be announced by late September.

The deputy Director of Health Bureau, the City Government Nan-song Chen said, now the elderly card holders can visit 30 polyclinics and pay the fee with the card. Some other first line clinics will join in the service group sequentially as well from September; by now, there are 400 clinics registered to be one of them so it’s estimated to have more than 100 first line clinics completing the process and providing the related services by 17th September. Therefore, Taichung citizens with the elderly cards may use the card to pay for the co-payment and registration fee at the clinics. The service provided clinic information will be announced at the official website of Health Bureau, Taichung City Government, and the list will be updated constantly. Meanwhile, the City Government will promote the related information through different communication channels.