Reporter : Zhu Huiyue / Editor : Wang Shiyao / Publisher : Overseas Network via China News Network / http://www.chinanews.com/tw/2021/01-18/9390219.shtml / Direct translation / Image : Traveller arriving in Taoyuan (Video Screenshot)
Recently, a Taiwanese businessperson reported to Taiwan media that after returning to Taiwan, he was scared by the 7,000 yuan (New Taiwan dollar, about 1,622 yuan) self-funded fee for SARS-CoV-2 screening. He does not understand why Taiwan’s covid testing is exorbitant. He wonders if there are manufacturers of screening reagents profiting from such tests. Netizens in Taiwan pointed out, "To put it bluntly, the DPP is'taking the opportunity to make profits'!" "It's hard to imagine how expensive the vaccine will be? No matter how people question it, the official word is the DPP authority decides the price!"
According to a report from Taiwan’s “Zhongshi News”, a Taiwanese businessperson revealed that the currently notified case in Taiwan is a public expense, and the public does not have to pay. However, if the Taiwanese want to take the inspection at their own expense, the price will fall between NT$5,000 and NT$7,000. As a result, many people who need a negative test certificate call it expensive. Why is the cost of nucleic acid testing so high in Taiwan? Zhuang Renxiang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Epidemic Command Center, said in a previous interview that PCR test reagents require cost, and medical examiners need to change a set of protective clothing for each screening. In addition to protective clothing, the costs of hospitals and medical staff attending to the testing are included in the calculation.
There are currently 103 self-financed designated hospitals in Taiwan. The price of some hospitals has dropped from NT$6,000 to NT$5,000 at the end of November, including the National Taiwan University Hospital. The rest include Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei Rongsong Hospital, The Far Eastern Hospital and the Taipei Municipal United Hospital, because they provide "urgent" services that can be picked up within one day, the price falls between 6,000 and 7,000 NT Dollars. According to Taiwan media investigation, the cost of PCR nucleic acid testing project includes registration fee, doctor's examination fee, inspection fee and nucleic acid test inspection fee, etc. The cost of a nucleic acid test reagent in major hospitals in Taiwan is about 700 to 1,000 NT Dollars. In other words, after deducting the cost price, most of the inspection labor and equipment costs remain.
In addition, the Taiwan Command Center also argued that the self-financed testing fee in the United States is about US$250 (about NT$7,100); the self-financed testing fee in the United Kingdom ranges from about GBP 130 to 200 (about NT$5000 to 7600); and Japan’s own inspection fee ranges from 25,000 to 50,000 Japanese Yen (about 7,000 to 14,000 New Taiwan Dollars), which is similar to Taiwan’s charges.
In this regard, people on the island expressed dissatisfaction, “Money, money, money! Anyway, you just want money!” “It’s not difficult to find out which company provides the test medicine and who is behind that company!” “Really. Shameless, take the highest price of others as a lie." "'You need to change a protective suit for every screening', shit! Which one of your eyes sees the doctor doing the screening will change it every time the screening Clothing? The cost of a screening operation costs NT$2,600 to 2,900? It is ten times more expensive than the cost of a doctor's visit!"
Some netizens even pointed out: "To put it bluntly, the DPP is'taking the opportunity to make a profit'!" "The garbage DPP authorities who dare not tell the truth!!!" "The DPP authorities should have made a lot of money! Earn money from the people and use it as your own public relations!" "It's hard to imagine how expensive the vaccine will be then? No matter how the people question, the official word is the DPP authority talking!" , Quantity based on price? Because the inspection fee is expensive, the number of people who are inspected will be less, the number of confirmed cases will be less? The face is good? The epidemic prevention is successful?" "Why are you afraid of general screening before you set high prices?"
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