The majority of rare disease patients battle illnesses their entire lives. The medical expenses are enormous and unaffordable for average families, with treatments ranging from the outsourcing of screening, assisting tools; various medical equipment and international medical care cooperation.
Furthermore, there are a few illnesses currently under discussion, which are not yet classified under the government's list of rare diseases and therefore are not eligible for government subsidies.
In order to help alleviate patients’ burden, TFRD has established several subsidy funds:
The Rare Disease Medical Care Assistance Fund:
to help compensating for the lack of medical insurance and rare disorder legislation.
The Rare Disease Family Livelihood Assistance Fund:
to help resolve patient’s emergency situations such as problems in marriage, employment, education and finances.
The Rare Disease In-home and Long-term Care Fund:
to help patients receive adapted in-home and in-center services.
The Rare Disease Prenatal Care Assistance Fund:
to help those who had given birth to babies with rare diseases and are planning to have another child, TFRD provides prenatal subsidy and counseling service in 2006.
In 2008, TFRD subsidized 99 cases for medical subsidy, 81 livelihood assistance cases, 43 prenatal services cases, and 81 patient in-home and longterm care subsidy. Total subsidized amount is $9,366,891 NT dollars. |
