If you become sick or are injured
If you become sick or are injured, you can use health insurance to get necessary medical treatment by making in principle a copayment of 30% of the medical care costs. The amount paid at the hospital counter is even lower for preschool children and elderly persons aged 70 or older.
Medical Care Benefits (for dependents, “Dependents' Medical Care Expenses”)
- ** See here for information on measures for reducing cost burdens for persons aged 70-74.
- **Persons earning income at the same levels as active workers: This refers to elderly persons aged 70-74 whose standard monthly remuneration is 280,000 yen or more. See here for more information.
Using health insurance, you can get necessary medical care for treatment of nonoccupational sickness and injury by making a copayment of 30%. This is referred to as "Medical Care Benefits" (for dependents, "Dependents' Medical Care Expenses"). You pay only 30% of medical care costs at the medical care institution because the Health Insurance Society covers the remaining 70%.
Meal costs and living expenses during hospitalization
<General beds>
When hospitalized, in addition to the 30% copayment in medical care costs, you must pay 490 yen/meal (280 yen/meal for patients with intractable or specified chronic pediatric diseases) for up to three meals per day in meal costs (referred to as inpatient meal standard expenses).
<Long-term medical care beds*1>
Patients must pay out of their pocket the inpatient meal standard expenses and living expenses related to utilities (referred to as the standard personal cost burden for living expenses) in cases of seniors aged 65-74 hospitalized in long-term medical care beds. The Health Insurance Society will assume the cost of any amount beyond the standard personal cost burden for living expenses as Inpatient Living Expenses.
Meal costs and living expenses for persons aged 65-69 in long-term medical care beds (standard personal cost burden for living expenses)
| Applicable category | Meal costs/meal | Living expenses/day |
|---|---|---|
| General or persons with income comparable to income earned by active workers | Living expenses (I*2) 490 yen Living expenses (II) 420 yen |
370 yen |
- *1 Long-term medical care beds are beds for hospitalization for extended periods for chronic conditions. These beds are often used by patients with cognitive impairment or the like.
- *2 Living expenses (I) refer to meal costs satisfying specific standards such as timely service of meals at appropriate temperatures containing appropriate nutrients managed by a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
- * For those with specified intractable diseases, meal costs are 280 yen/meal; living expenses are 0 yen/day.
●Costs are reduced still further for persons with low income. See here for more information.