Workers Hospitalized for Occupational Injury or Sickness May Simultaneously Apply for Inpatient Care Subsidy When They Claim Occupational Injury or Sickness Benefits. This Ensures Adequate Protection to the Workers While Staying in Hospitals.

Since the full implementation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act (hereinafter referred to as “Occupational Accident Insurance Act”) on May 1, 2022, an insured person may, additionally, apply for the “Inpatient Care Subsidy” if he/she requires inpatient care services due to occupational injury or sickness. The purpose is to ensure adequate protection to such workers and their families during the period, in the meantime ease their financial burdens therefrom.

According to the regulations, a worker shall be entitled to occupational accident insurance injury or sickness benefits beginning from the fourth day after he/she is incapacitated for work. The payment shall be discontinued on the day immediately before his/her returning to work. For the first sixty days, the daily payment shall be calculated based on the insured’s average daily insured salary during the 6 months prior to the month when the accident occurs. For the daily payment after sixty days, the amount shall be 70% of the average daily insured salary. The maximum payment period shall be two years.  The BLI expressed that, if a worker is hospitalized when receiving occupational accident insurance injury or sickness benefits and, as diagnosed by the doctors, needs inpatient care services during the period (The certificate of diagnosis should carry the name of the injury or sickness, the date admitted to/discharged from  the hospital, and a statement that the worker requires inpatient care), he/she may claim inpatient care subsidy at the same time, which shall be NTD1,200 per day.  The BLI, however, specifically reminded that the benefits shall not apply to the patients staying in ICU or quarantined wards.

For example, Mr. Wang, due to occupational injury/sickness, is entitled to claim occupational injury or sickness benefits in accordance with the Occupational Accident Insurance Act. His average monthly insured salary is NTD42,000 during the six months prior to the month when the accident occurs. The average daily insured salary, therefore, is NTD1,400. Based on the regulations, the BLI shall grant occupational injury or sickness benefit for 20 days, starting from the fourth day on which Mr. Wang is incapacitated for work. Mr. Wang, during the same period, has stayed in the general ward for five days and, according to the doctor’s advice, needs a designated caregiver then. In addition to the injury or sickness benefit (NTD1,400 x 20 = NTD28,000) under the occupational accident insurance, Mr. Wang is also entitled to an inpatient care subsidy for five days (NTD1,200 x 5 = NTD6,000). The total amount receivable by Mr. Wang shall be NTD34,000.