Central News (Central News Agency, Taipei, July 1) The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) is launching a new comprehensive rental system for smart technology assistive devices for long-term care (LTC) starting today. This system covers four major categories: mobility, bathing and excretion, home care beds, and safety monitoring. The first batch of 17 products has passed review and will be included in the benefit, with a total rental subsidy of NT$60,000 every three years. According to MOHW statistics, from January to December 2025, a total of 617,375 individuals received LTC payment and support services. Among them, 139,733 individuals used assistive devices and home accessibility improvement services. Wu Hsi-wen, deputy director of the MOHW's Long-Term Care Administration, told CNA today that after LTC recipients undergo medical rehabilitation or functional recovery, their physical functions and degree of disability may change, requiring adjustments to assistive device needs. To allow the public to flexibly replace assistive devices according to their needs, reduce the burden of one-time purchases, and improve care quality, the MOHW has introduced a second set of comprehensive rental benefits for smart technology assistive devices, amounting to NT$60,000 every three years. This includes up to NT$20,000 for home accessibility improvement services and applies to five major categories of smart technology assistive devices: mobility, transfer, bathing and excretion, home care beds, and safety monitoring. Wu Hsi-wen pointed out that the first batch of reviewed and listed assistive devices includes 17 items across four major categories: mobility, bathing and excretion, home care beds, and safety monitoring. The review mechanism will continue to expand the product range in the future. In addition to the new second set of comprehensive rental benefits for smart technology assistive devices, the existing first set of traditional assistive device purchase and rental benef