Job Discussion Forums

[mtheta]

General question. I do not have Japanese health insurance, but need to visit the doctor or clinic. Can I just pay for my visit or will they flat out deny seeing me?

[luckyloser700]

Any place that has a slot free in the schedule will see you if you pay the entire fee at the time of visit.

[canuck]

[seastarr]

I had insurance, but it was the kind that I had to send receipts in for, which is like going in with no insurance at all I guess. My one visit was 3000 yen and I just walked in. Mind you, this was the doctor's office across the hall from my Nova branch and he was quite used to seeing us and enjoyed the chance to speak a little English. He was quite good, so the language barrier wasn't a problem. You should just be able to go in and pay cash. I would try to find one who speaks a little English too, it's scary enough being sick in a foreign country, let alone not understanding whats wrong with you.

[bshabu]

I was in the same boat as seastarr. I had to send in the receipts and a note explaining what was wrong with me. I went to a Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor to check a problem I had with my ears. The whole thing with meds cost less then 10,000 yen. So it wasn't that bad.

[luckbox]

Yes, canuck is right, get your insurance - PRONTO! Why anyone would arrive here without health coverage of some kind... well, file it in the lessons learned category.

Do you have a credit card? It's possible that if you do, you may have travel health coverage (if you haven't been in Japan too long). Call your card company to find out, and meantime, keep all receipts. My Visa card covers me for the first 90 days outside my home country, and I can extend that if I pay extra.

If you can hold off for a few days, it's maybe possible you can obtain a plan quickly via the net, then go in for treatment next week. Try Thomas Cook or some agency like that.

Hospitals and the prescriptions they give you can be very expensive, so depending on your health issue, you may consider visiting a pharmacist first and trying to get some good meds before seeing a doc, especially if its just a bad cold or flu.

But ya, get insurance. What happens if you get into an serious accident and are laid up in a hospital for a week... you really wanna spend your Japan savings or worse, wire home to your mom for cash?

[mtheta]

Wow, thanks for the great responses. I should have clarifid that I do have insurance but I would have to send in reciepts ect and it is a real hassle. I do not have any insurance from Japan, so I wasn't sure if that was a requirement. I really just need to go get a shot, I already have the medication from home. I didn't want to wait until last minute to find out I needed National Health coverage to get service cause then I would be screwed.

I am certain there are some English clinic around here, so I will call in advance. Thanks again! Peace of mind.

[Sweetsee]

If you have any friends who have NHI, borrow their card.

[canuck]

[J.]

I just joined National Health but for a long time I was in the same boat as you guys. They told me when I registered for my alien card that I could buy it but I would have to pay for 2 years back ( that I wasn't even in Japan) and that was just too much money when I first arrived. Then I just kept putting it off. But when I joined they found an English speaker to help me and she asked for the certificate for any Private Insurance that I had. She said that I would only have to pay from the date that coverage stopped if I produced the paper. So, in your case, when you have coverage, maybe you will only have to pay for the current year and that shouldn't be too much if your salary is the standard one, certainly not much more or maybe less than what you're paying for private insurance. They let you pay in four installments and give you about a months's grace on the first payment AND if you find it hard to pay you can talk to the tax office (with somebody's help in Japanese) and they will probably let you spread out the payments a bit more. I found them very accomodating. The plan pays 80% but it includes all drugs that you get at the clinic or hospital.

If you have to go to a Doctor now, I'd say try a private clinic in your neighborhood. It's the hospitals that are sticky about having the cards. I don't think the clinics care that much because you pay as you go. Good luck!

[JimDunlop2]

[ripslyme]

[japan_01]

Unless you are absolutely dying, I would strongly recommend that you DON'T visit a doctor. Doctors in Japan are downright thieves. I have been to the doctor 3 times in Japan and haven't left without paying a fortune for unnecessary drugs. I was given 10 different types of drugs (no joke) on 3 seperate occasions from 3 different doctors due to relatively small illnesses. I consulted my doctor in Australia and he also thought that they were going 'overkill' on the drugs.

The other day I had a student that works for the number 5 pharmaceutical manufacturer in Japan. I told him my story and he quite frankly said: "That is Japan for you." Japanese doctors prescribe the most medication (for 1 particular illness) than any other country in the world. He hates going to a doctor because he doesn't like telling them "I dont need that drug - you are ripping me off." A classic example of Japanese culture - NEVER correct your superior. If you REALLY need to see a doctor - GET INSURANCE at a fast pace!

[TK4Lakers]

I believe most clinics and hospitals will treat you, as long as you tell them in the beginning that you "have no insurance."

However, be ready for some high costs. The way my international insurance works is that I pay upfront like I have no insurance, and then get reimbursed by my company afterwards.

I was really sick with a fever and stomach pains about a month ago. Stayed in the hospital for 2 days, with IV and x-ray shots and breakfast. The total cost was somewhere around 70,000 yen.

And just to give you a warning...anything having to do with bureaucracy-hospitals included-are extremely unflexible and strict.

[ironopolis]