The Legislative Yuan has passed a resolution for the Department of Health (DOH) to impose a cap of NT$150 (US$4.75) on registration fees at clinics and hospitals in order to give more disadvantaged people access to medical care. The legislature took action Wednesday on the issue after the findings of anational survey on registration fees, posted recently on the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) Web site, showed that the fees range from NT$20 to NT$400 at 500 hospitals and clinics around the country. The BNHI had previously said that there are no regulations governing registration fees because they are not included in overall medical expenses. The change is expected to take effect July 1 after the DOH has been formally notified by the Legislature and makes a formal announcement of the fee cap, DOH Deputy Minister Chen Tzay-jinn said Wednesday. However, the new regulation does not include a penalty for violations, he said. DOH Minister Yaung Chih-liang expressed support for the legislature's decision to cap the registration fees. 