First Heat-Related Health Insurance Pilot Program Launched in Tainan
Taiwan's first-ever heat-related insurance program is being trialled in the city of Tainan to protect vulnerable older citizens from extreme summer weather. Fully funded by a local private insurer, the policy provides fixed payout benefits for heat-injury medical costs targeting over 32,000 middle- and low-income seniors. Environmental officials are also deploying a localized AI prediction bot and a nationwide "Cool Map" platform, allowing social workers to identify energy-disadvantaged seniors and guide them to air-conditioned locations.
Government Relief From the Heat
REPORTER:
The country's first heat-related medical insurance plan is taking effect in the southern city of Tainan to help older adults stay cool. It comes as the environment and health ministries continue to build a network of heat protection resources for residents aged 65 or older who live alone.
The plan is fully funded by a private insurance company, covering 32 thousand people on the Tainan city government's medium- or low-income care list. The policy provides up to 300 US dollars in coverage for heat-related medical bills.
Authorities and researchers have also trained an AI bot to predict high temperatures at the residents' homes. Combined with the environment ministry's cool map platform, the AI bot can alert social workers and help guide them to cool places, especially in rural areas.
Authorities say they will test the insurance plan in Tainan for a year before expanding it to other major cities and counties.
