Job Discussion Forums

[candy_girl]

I have recently been hired on with a company here in Japan, and enrolled with the JMA health insurance. I want to switch over to the National Health Insurance, and I have an orientation Monday where I am supposed to provide evidence of an insurance plan. That said, I want to switch to the National Health Insurance plan, but the Website that I went to (for my prefecture) says that you have to cancel with the JMA first, (or your employer health care plan). However, my understanding is you need an alien registration card (not just the receipt) to sign up for the National Plan. I'm just wondering, can you cancel your JMA anytime and switch to the National Plan? or is there any specific deadline for cancelling? Can you sign up for the national plan and then cancel your JMA after?

Any help will be much appreciated!

[candy_girl]

Maybe I should have phrased my question differently. I've been at the ward office today and I coudln't find anyone who I'd be able to ask how to do the switch to the National Plan. Does anyone know how to do this? Anyone done it?

[fluffyhamster]

You could have enrolled in the national health insurance scheme when you first went to your local city hall to get the ball rolling on your ARC (in fact, if you delay enrolling it might not look too good i.e. 'You've been in Japan for a while without any form of health insurance?!' Possible answer in such circumstances, to such a question: you had a short-term travel and health all-in-one policy that's just expired).

Your employer didn't tell you anything about this because they probably want to disavow all knowledge of a system that they ought to be paying 50% into (even though it would cost them next to nothing in the first year - I guess that even informing you would perhaps make them legally liable or something to start and continue paying, should you or a union so demand).

What I'd do if I were you is approach the NHI section at your city hall (don't mention JMA - I can't see that it's any of the government's business anyway whether you have any form of private health insurance, it's not like you'd make a claim twice is it), and simply say you have just arrived in Japan and want to enrol in the national system ASAP - they should then register your details and print you out a booklet of payment slips straight away.

I don't know what your employer or JMA themselves will say about you stopping paying (you'll need to look at the clauses in the policy you've signed), but the employer can't really argue that you don't have DECENT insurance if you're enrolled in the "alternative" national scheme, can they! What will it matter to them if you're the one paying for whatever anyway. If they let you drop out, I guess you can always offer (beg? LOL) to sign up with JMA again in your second year (when the NHI premiums will well and truly skyrocket - best at this time to get a better employer who's willing to contribute to the costs, or drop out of the NHI scheme and find a cheaper alternative, even if the coverage is not as good). If the worst comes to the worst and you need to continue with JMA, it won't be that expensive (right?) and the first year of the NHI will be cheaper still, so you could be enrolled in both without it breaking the bank (I can't see the combined total being much more than 10,000 yen a month).

[bornslippy1981]

[yamanote senbei]

Be aware that JMA is now serviced by Interglobal:

http://insurancewrongdoings.blogspot.com/

[luckyloser700]

The national health insurance plan (Kokumin Kenkou hoken) is easy enter but difficult to leave. After one year of living in Japan foreigners are required, by law, to enter Kokumin Kenkou Hoken if they cannot show proof that their companies provide a nationally sponsored insurance scheme (usually Shakai Hoken). All Japanese face this requirement. Lots of Japanese people work full time at companies and are not offered the option of enrolling in Shakai Hoken; they are forced to enter Kokumin Kenkou Hoken.
Foreigners often cry about how their compaines are cheating by not enrolling them in Shakai Hoken, but plenty of Japanese people are faced with this same issue (and they can't just leave the country and go back home like most foreigners) and thus are enrolled in Kokumin Kenkou Hoken.
If you enter Kokumin Kenkou Hoken during the first year of living in Japan, you'll pay the bare minimum because the premium is calculated based on the tax you paid (in Japan) for the previous two years (which is, of course, zero). After one year, the premium will go up and after two it'll go up again. After that it'll stabilize provided you're making about the same salary for both years.
If you end up working for a company that will enroll you in Shakai Hoken, you can quit Kokumin Kenkou Hoken easy enough, but if you leave the country after having been enrolled in Kokumin Kenkou Hoken only, you need to make sure the government knows you're leaving so they can take you out of Kokumin Kenkou Hoken. This way, if you come back to Japan, you won't be asked to pay for the year(s) you weren't in Japan.
Also, if you wait until you've lived in Japan for a few years before you decide to start obeying the law and enter Kokumin Kenkou Hoken, you may be asked to pay back fees for all the years after the first year of living in Japan. This is why lots of foreigners never enter Kokumin Kenkou Hoken.

[shadowsinner]

hey guys,

since we're on this tpic anyway, let me ask a few questions. i'm really confused about this issue, so if anyone can explain the whole thing to me i'd appreciate it.

basically, i heard that the Kokumin Kenkou hoken is charged at 30,000yen/mth, but from this discussion, it sounds as if this is not the case - it sounds as if it is dependent on ur income. so the more u earn, the more u pay?

i assume this Kokumin Kenkou hoken is some kind of health and medical insurane - paying for doctor visits and for medication when one is sick?

and what about private health insurance? is this not an option at all in japan? is private health insurance more expensive than Kokumin Kenkou hoken?

[luckyloser700]

During the first year Kokumin Kenkou Hoken should be cheaper than the insurance plan offered by the company you'll work for. Maybe somewhere between 1500 and 3000 Yen per month for KKH. You don't have to have KKH during your first year here. After a year of living in Japan foreigners are required by Japanese law to enter KKH.

With KKH, you pay 30% of your medical bills and the rest is taken care of by the country. All you need to do is walk into a doctor's office (an appointment might be necessary) and give them your KKH paperwork before seeing the doctor. No hassles.

[shadowsinner]

oh ok. that does sound easy. i thought it would be a much more complicated system.

but after the first year, would it be cheaper to go onto private insurance, or does the government not allow that once ur on the national health scheme?

[luckyloser700]

[shadowsinner]

you mean there's no such thing as private health insurance in japan?

[luckyloser700]

Private health insurance can be gotten, but there are still obligations to the government. Private insurance can be held along with KKH or Shakai Hoken, but enrollment in either Kokumin Kenkou Hoken, Shakai Hoken, or some other government-approved scheme is mandatory for all Japanese as well as foreigners who've been living here for over one year.
Don't take my word for it, look into it yourself. Once you arrive, go to your local city or town office (with a Japanese-speaking friend if you don't do the language yourself) and ask.
Or don't. It's your life.

[shadowsinner]

hmm.. another thing to ponder about. there's already so much that i'll need to look into i really should write myself a list! lol.

ok ok... first year, pay minimum, but then it goes up... gotta check this out *mutters to self*

[ripslyme]

I was enrolled in KKH when I was working for NOVA. (although I did have JMA for a month or so when I first arrived) I was enrolled in KKH by my ward office when I applied for my Gaikokujin card. My payments totaled about 20000 for the year. I work at a private elementary school now, and am enrolled in their comprehensive health insurance/pension plan. I get most of my money back (well, 3 years worth of it anyway) when I return home (ala Shakai Hoken).

[shadowsinner]

you paid KKH 20,000yen ONLY for the first year in japan?? that's really good.. but what about subsequent years? or did you get ur current job in the second yr and thus pay company insurance now?

and u say u can get ur money back... from paying KKH?