Job Discussion Forums

[BenJ]

I understand the health insurance is very cheap in the first year given there is no salary to measure you by and is therefore quite expensive in the second.

Can someone give me a ball park figure of just how expensive health insurance in the second year becomes given a 250 000 yen salary the previous year?

I want to weigh up the choice of getting private health.

[PAULH]

You are looking at a payment of about 25,000 yen per month in your second year. I am paying national health through my employer and based on my income it works out at about 10-14% (my employer is paying 1/2 the premium so the figures may be off). Keep in mind you will pay 30% of the bill when you go to the doctor as well.

[guest of Japan]

I believe it is about 8 or 9 payments at around the figure PaulH wrote.

[BenJ]

holy shit - good to know because I have a quote from Global Healthcare for teachers at US$114/ 3mths basic cover, Japan only.

I remember reading someone's comment that it is rather difficult to get out of it once you're in, presumably meaning you can't take advantage of the first cheap year and then go private. How is this made difficult?

[canuck]

It is kind of difficult, but there are "ways" around it. Firstly, avoid Japanese health coverage. There are better alternatives.

To get off Japanese Health Insurance, one way is to leave the country. Done. Another way is to move. Your health insurance is done per Ward Office. So, if you move out of your Ward, you cancel your health insurance, show them your updated foreigners registration card with your new address. At the new Ward, do not join the Japanese health insurance.

Make sure you are covered though. Being without health insurance is a major risk.