Job Discussion Forums

[nonsmoker]

Can someone explain the Japanese health scheme? How much does it cover and what are the out of pocket costs for seeing a doctor/going to the hospital. Do the plans cover dental work or vision services? How much do the plans cost?

Arigato.

[Glenski]

Two types, essentially -- Kokumin kenko hoken and shakai kenko hoken.
If your employer doesn't offer anything (for whatever reasons), and doesn't make copayments into shakai hoken, you have to take out kokumin kenko hoken. The first year is cheap (2500 yen/month), but after that the government has a record of your earnings in Japan, so the payments will go up about tenfold.

If you have been here at any time without kokumin kenko hoken and then decide to get on the plan, you will have to make backpayments for all the time you didn't have it (up to 2-3 years' worth).

More details galore follow:

http://www.ih-osaka.or.jp/enjoy/en/sick/02.html
http://www.city.saga.saga.jp/en/doc/DDE5C72B24B59F48492568A30026C573.html
http://www.pref.osaka.jp/osaka-pref/iryo/medicalinfo/insurance.htm
http://www.gaijinpot.com/health.php
http://www.htia.org/e/info/health.html
http://www.kokuho.or.jp/english/index.htm
http://www02.bbc.city.okinawa.okinawa.jp/english/liveguide/gov/gov7_health.PDF#search='japan%20%20shakai%20hoken'
http://www.pacificbridge.com/Publications/JapanFall98.htm
http://www.japan-zone.com/new/welfare.shtml
http://www.gaijinpot.com/bb/showthread.php?t=15049
http://www.sia.go.jp/e/ehi.html

[nonsmoker]

thanks