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Pre-existing conditions covered by healthcare

 
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Khyron



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Tokyo Metro City

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:11 pm    Post subject: Pre-existing conditions covered by healthcare Reply with quote

I'm wondering if anyone knows if the National Japanese medical insurance covers pre-existing conditions at all. I've been told that it does (well, 70% or whatever it is), but I was wondering if anyone here knows anything about it.

Before I came to Japan, I broke my leg and had a metal plate and some pins installed in it (not in my home country). I was told that I should get them taken out after a year or so. So, it would be nice to know that I would be somewhat covered. I'm also wondering if my health premiums would jump up substantially in the future (more than they would otherwise).

Thanks to anyone who knows about this stuff.
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kitano



Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 86

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:23 pm    Post subject: Pre-existing conditions covered by healthcare Reply with quote

The answer is yes. It is public health care and that is the point. Everything and everyone are covered (almost). You do have to pay a percentage in Japan but note that there is a cap that could help you if your case is expensive. Premiums are based on income and not age or previous conditions etc etc again because it is public health care and the point is to cover everyone over their lifetime.
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Quibby84



Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 643
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

what about birth control pills and things like that? is that covered?
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Khyron



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Tokyo Metro City

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quibby84 wrote:
what about birth control pills and things like that? is that covered?
I know someone who actually brought with them a year's supply of birth control pills overseas. She didn't have to worry at all about trying to explain to someone in a different country, who speaks a different language, that she wanted birth control pills.
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Quibby84



Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 643
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is what I was planning on doing (if the doctor will allow it). So it really isnt that easy to get there? It would be better to get it here?
ok
thanks!
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PAULH



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quibby84 wrote:
That is what I was planning on doing (if the doctor will allow it). So it really isnt that easy to get there? It would be better to get it here?
ok
thanks!


Birth control pills here are not used so much for contraception but to regulate heavy periods (so I'm told)

Contraception of choice here is condoms or an abortion. You can get the pill but only through a doctor and by prescription only, not over the counter.

It is instructive that it took about 30 years for the pill to be made available to women but Viagra was approved for sale in Japan within about 6 months of being introduced to this country.
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cafebleu



Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Posts: 404

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So true Paul!

As for the restrictions for so long on women obtaining the pill, restrictions that still continue although less blatantly, it's really about men limiting women's choices. You can be pro-choice but concerned by the way in which abortion is presented as the real option rather than prevention through easy access to the pill.

When women have easy access to abortion (not counselling, not real support to make informed decisions) but not to contraceptives that tells you how women's health is dominated by what overwhelmingly male doctors think. And what a male dominated society prioritises. It boils down to a fear of female independence.

Re kitano's point about no age restrictions in the Jp National Health Insurance - that's not really true. If you're 40 or over you have to pay more money for a so called 'nursing charge'. It pissed off some of my foreigner friends who never used the health system in their lJapanese life after they joined it. The elderly who over-use the system to trot off to the doctors for no good reason should pay it, not people who don't cost the system anything.
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Quibby84



Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 643
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

well abortion is defintely out of the picture for me...that is really crazy that they allow abortion but not the pill...
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Khyron



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Tokyo Metro City

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quibby84 wrote:
well abortion is defintely out of the picture for me...that is really crazy that they allow abortion but not the pill...
Wha...? They do allow the pill...
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Information as of 2004, in care of CBS News.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/20/health/main637523.shtml
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Quibby84



Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 643
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I meant that it is crazy that an abortion is more readily available than the pill..sorry
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Khyron



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Tokyo Metro City

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quibby84 wrote:
I meant that it is crazy that an abortion is more readily available than the pill..sorry
I thought that was what you meant, but I still had to call you on it! Wink

Glenski wrote:
Information as of 2004, in care of CBS News.
Well then, I'm glad my Japanese gf has decided to become one of the 1.3 percent. Smile
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