Overview of specific health checkups and specific health guidance

Key points of specific health checkups and specific health guidance

Specific health checkups are health checkups focusing on metabolic syndrome for members of health insurance aged 40-74 years. Based on the results of their specific health checkup, members are grouped into “active support,” “motivational support,” and “information provision.”

Specific health guidance is intended to improve lifestyle-related conditions for those in the groups of “active support” and “motivational support” based on specific health checkups. Public health nurses, registered dietitians, and other professionals provide personalized support suited to each individual’s health conditions and lifestyle.

Flow of specific health checkups and specific health guidance

Background of specific health checkups and specific health guidance

Japan’s universal health insurance system has achieved the world’s highest average life expectancy and a high level of healthcare, and is designed to ensure that everyone can receive medical care with peace of mind. However, medical care costs are rising rapidly along with the rapid aging of society and the progress of advanced medical care. Left unaddressed, it is feared that the medical insurance system may break down. Lifestyle-related conditions (such as cancer, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes) account for approximately 30% of medical care costs in Japan and about 60% of deaths (see Fig. 1).

In response, under the Act on Assurance of Medical Care for Elderly People, health insurance societies and other medical insurers are obligated to provide to members aged 40-74 specific health checkups and specific health guidance focusing on metabolic syndrome

Specific health checkups and specific health guidance are intended to identify, based on health checkup results, those who have or are at risk of developing metabolic syndrome and provide effective health guidance to those at high risk to prevent and improve their lifestyle-related conditions.

The Recruit Health Insurance Society’s implementation plan

Specific Health Checkup Implementation Plan (Phase 3: FY2018-2023)