Taiwan's cabinet is rolling out a record 3.93 trillion NT dollar budget that pours money into health care and family support, good news for patients, parents and young adults but another big spending commitment for the government.

• Premier Cho Jung-tai said next year's central budget is balanced, with income matching spending and no deficit — rare in recent years.
• Defense, social welfare and money sent to local governments each top one trillion NT dollars.
• National health insurance spending will pass one trillion for the first time, with an extra 60 billion added to keep the system solvent.
• A new population plan gets 373 billion, including a monthly 5,000 NT child allowance plus childcare, education and housing help.
• Mental health support for young adults gets 429 million, giving each person three free counseling sessions a year and reaching an expected 100,000 visits.

Outlook: The spending only works if local governments cooperate with the central government, and the health push leans heavily on neighborhood clinics to deliver it.