Health care costs in Japan hit record high amid aging society

Thursday 03rd September, 06:07 AM JST

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bobbafett at 10:53 AM JST - 3rd September

This is why it will be mandatory for gaijin to pay out as of next year or no visa.
Disillusioned at 11:26 AM JST - 3rd September

We can look forward to increases in the national health insurance over the coming years, which will coincide with decreased services covered by the already rip-off system. This is the reason so many elderly spend so much time at the hospitals. Most are just lonely and they can get a chat with a doctor and some nurses for free and waste a whole day of their existence to boot. I intentionally use physicians (especially dentists) to justify the ridiculous amount of money I pay into the system. However, in a decade I have paid nearly 3 million yen into the system (just for myself not family) and there is no way I have had 3 million yen's worth of treatment. So, the question is, which demographic is soaking up these funds? The lonely oldies, of course!
Sarge at 11:32 AM JST - 3rd September

This is great news for the medical/pharmaceutical industry.
ronaldk at 11:34 AM JST - 3rd September

LFRAgain, if the preventive medical check that you thought you didn't need had turned up something allowing treatment in advance it would have well been worth it. Really, the criticism of Japan's system is overstated. A doctor in the US will charge to renew a prescription every time after the specified refills are done, and naturally so as they are liable in case something adverse happens to the patient.
kwatt at 11:53 AM JST - 3rd September

If people often do not go to hospitals, then many hospitals will be bankrupted, so they need more customers to stabilize the business under the system, but there are not enough number of doctors there.
LFRAgain at 12:29 PM JST - 3rd September

ronaldk,

If a preventative check was what I was looking for, then yes, your observation would be right on target. But it wasn't. I was there for a refill. I had my preventative check last month.

Furthermore, a preventative check is something that a patient chooses to do, it's not something that can or should be forced on someone.

And allowing that I may not have told the story clearly enough, allow me to repeat: I (the system) was charged 4800円 to have my blood pressure and weight measured, and a short consultation with the doctor, a process that took all of five minutes. I suspect this isn't exactly how most taxpayers envisioned their healthcare yen being wisely spent.
ronaldk at 12:46 PM JST - 3rd September

Well, if it bothers you that much that a doctor took the time to talk with you before giving a refill, I guess you can start an NGO about government waste. Good luck.
DeepAir65 at 12:54 PM JST - 3rd September

And Health Care premiums sore too $800 a month and I am unemployed

It's tempting to stop as I never use it, but then you know what will happen
Patrick Smash at 01:42 PM JST - 3rd September

There's the contact lenses scam too. Every 6 months you have to have an eye check before they will let you have some more lenses. That eye check costs around 4000-yen, and is covered under national health. They need to make cuts on people who can afford daily contact lenses, and charge 100% to those who go to doctors with colds. This problem is not going away. If the government cannot afford pensions, it cannot afford this either.
TSRnow at 02:03 PM JST - 3rd September

Overcharged, dearly.
fishy at 02:36 PM JST - 3rd September

yikes!
LFRAgain at 02:59 PM JST - 3rd September

Okay Ron,

You seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to be charged for something you neither needed nor wanted.

So, how would you feel if a friend of yours walked into an auto shop to buy new tires, and an ended up walking away with a half-completed shaken inspection for same the cost of a full one, even though he had his car inspected one month prior – then YOU had to foot 70% of the bill?

Does this sound right to you?

It's the same thing with what's going on in Japanese clinics all over the country.
helloklitty at 08:02 PM JST - 3rd September

This is the reason so many elderly spend so much time at the hospitals. Most are just lonely and they can get a chat with a doctor and some nurses for free and waste a whole day of their existence to boot.

I think this is a myth, but used to be true.

They have a co-pay, don't they? That'll keep them away.
usaexpat at 11:16 PM JST - 3rd September

Still way below the US something like 9% of GDP versus 17% of GDP. hellokitty: not a myth at all my wife's grandmother went to the doctor everyday it was like a social circle. When someone from the neighborhood din't show up people would worry about them. By the way, they only stayed home if they were sick. I should note however this is Nagasaki and these people all had bomb survivor's insurance as in 100% coverage for eveything for life.
LFRAgain at 11:59 PM JST - 3rd September

Helloklitty,

Not a myth. There was a report on NHK about 5 or 6 months ago discussing problems with the health care system, ranging from a severe lack of doctors in rural areas to elderly using the waiting rooms of clinics and hospitals as social hubs. Even with a co-pay, when you're only popping by for at minimum a check-up, it doesn't cost much more than 1500円 per visit. It can be even cheaper depending on the clinic and the reason given for coming by.