Taiwan expands long-term care to younger dementia patients

The current system limits coverage mainly to those aged 65 and older.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) will expand its long-term care service eligibility to cover younger individuals with dementia and certain post-acute conditions starting 1 January 2026.

Under the revised regulations, individuals under 50 years old with both dementia and a disability, as well as patients in the post-acute care (PAC) program, will become eligible for government-subsidised long-term care services. 

The current system limits coverage mainly to those aged 65 and older, Indigenous people aged 55 and older, and individuals aged 50 and above with dementia.

The PAC program, launched by the National Health Insurance Administration in 2014, targets patients with recovery potential following acute illnesses such as stroke or heart failure. 

The initiative offers intensive rehabilitation to help patients regain functional ability and reduce long-term disability.