Medical coverage in Japan is a pain for foreigners. With an employer, you can get Japan's Employee Health Care. Without proof that you're staying more than a year -- i.e. something better than a tourist visa -- you can't get Japan's National Health Care.

If you're moving to Japan without a job, as I plan to in the next few months, this situation will lead you to seek private medical insurance that will cover you in Japan. Does anyone have any advice on this? Can anyone recommend a good international insurance company?


See also my thread about getting a job in Tokyo without being there:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=518738&page=1&pp=15


Here's some additional info about medical insurance:

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/faq/15/live.htm#3
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1148.html
“U.S. prescriptions are not honored in Japan”
http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-medimport.html
“Generally, up to one month's supply of allowable prescription medicine can be brought into Japan. Travelers must bring a copy of their doctor's prescription as well as a letter stating the purpose of the drug.”
http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7119.html
Info on English speaking hospitals:
http://www.himawari.metro.tokyo.jp/qq/qq13enmnlt.asp

Stay out of the Japanese Medical insurance system at all costs (public)...There are many companies that offer expat medical insurance........one off the the top of my head is Alianz! There are a few directed at the English teaching community such as Global and AAA Adapt www.adapthealth.com etc. others will profer up other choices.

Deleted.........

Since I'm not in Japan yet, I can't offer any debate. However, there's some interesting bits about healthcare, including Japan, at some of the links below. It might be broken in Japan but I guarantee you it's broken in the U.S.

http://ezraklein.typepad.com/blog/health_of_nations/index.html
http://angrybear.blogspot.com/2005/04/waiting-for-health-care.html
Excel chart that compares per capita healthcare spending (U.S. is $5267 while the other countries are below $3000)
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/13/53/31963451.xls

Bump......please don't tell me that none of you use the Japanese medical insurance system? I really want to debate this P.O.S.

What's the deal with it? I'm signed up and so is Mrs. Pickles, who used it to get a dentist appointment for 500 yen. I've never used it and certainly don't intend to willingly.

What's the deal with it? I'm signed up and so is Mrs. Pickles, who used it to get a dentist appointment for 500 yen. I've never used it and certainly don't intend to willingly.
Pickles I will ask you then if you are willingly paying the premiums, when they are based on your income as opposed to your health and age?And when you are travelling what are you doing about medical insurance .......paying again?

Not a whole heck of a lot of choice as far as I can tell. I have worked here for many years and have been under the impression I have no choice. I know I can get additional insurance, but I believe I have to cough on the basic one too.

Works great having it with kids too. You get surgery and all the hypochondriac check-ups for dirt cheap.

Do not like the cost, but comapred to the benefits, it seems to be a better plan than say, Kaiser at home.

Mike

Okay , so let's say you pay full shot for the health insurance due to your wage (if you were single you would pay even more in percentage terms) you then have local and state taxes payable 4 times a year(also based on your wage and depending on how many in your family)you also must pay your monthly payroll taxes varies by wage (for example 287,000 per month in wages means you pay 13,790 per month, this does not include the 20% you pay on your bonus). So if you are making a 287,000+ or so a month you are also paying 30% + 15,000 in Social insurance taxes, about 30,000+- in Health tax per month. 4 times a year you are paying probably about 25,000+-for state taxes. This of course does not include the 20-30% you must pay when you go to the doctor or g-d forbid you are put into the hospital and don't have separate insurance(been there and done that :eek: ). Now let's add in they have lowered your deductable from 300,000 to 150,000 and have also increased your health premiums for the same or less service. This is all being used to pay for the rapidly aging population and the inefficient medical system.

They should raise the consumption tax to 15%, add 500 yen a pack for tax on cigs to pay for the aged, and also raise the tax on all booze!

I was right there with you until this bit...

also raise the tax on all booze!

Life here in ward 13 of the Chuo Nenkin Byouin is miserable enough without increasing the tax on my secret stash of suntory. Quit your meddling!

Must be off now.... time for my enema.....

Pickles I will ask you then if you are willingly paying the premiums, when they are based on your income as opposed to your health and age?And when you are travelling what are you doing about medical insurance .......paying again?

I don't think I have much of a choice, do I? And yes, I pay double, into the Japanese system, and into a US group plan. I'm cooked in multiple styles, but do I have a choice? I'm not even sure self-insurance is a choice!

I don't think I have much of a choice, do I? And yes, I pay double, into the Japanese system, and into a US group plan. I'm cooked in multiple styles, but do I have a choice? I'm not even sure self-insurance is a choice!

Pickles there are always choices, and different ways of doing things, especially in this country of vagaries......I took your advice vis a vis customs, not showing them my gaijin card and breezed right through......in fact I was always told I needed it but in practice one does not, thanks for that!

About travel insurance- as I understand I'm covered through my various Japanese credit cards. We use the Japanese health care insurance system. No real complaints yet.

About travel insurance- as I understand I'm covered through my various Japanese credit cards. We use the Japanese health care insurance system. No real complaints yet.

If you will permit me, then could it be said that a foreign national with gold/platinum whatever card is covered under the Japanese system when here? If so then why the need for non-Japanese to have the medical insurance ?

It's all about taxation IMHO!

BTW, I have nothing against the choices anyone has made or the quality of medical care in this country!

Pickles there are always choices, and different ways of doing things, especially in this country of vagaries......I took your advice vis a vis customs, not showing them my gaijin card and breezed right through......in fact I was always told I needed it but in practice one does not, thanks for that!

Tell me more. How may I, pray tell, get out of this one? I know as a short-term resident (less than 1 year) it is easier, but how about longer-term expats paid partially locally?

By the way, because of the way I'm paid (only a portion in Japan), I'm actually arbitraging my Japan health because my cost is lower relative to my income, and get the same benefits.

Tell me more. How may I, pray tell, get out of this one? I know as a short-term resident (less than 1 year) it is easier, but how about longer-term expats paid partially locally?

By the way, because of the way I'm paid (only a portion in Japan), I'm actually arbitraging my Japan health because my cost is lower relative to my income, and get the same benefits.

An acquaintance of mine who works for a large Uni(tenure)did the following. Was signed up for the JET left after one year to get Masters. Came back as a Prof and was auto-enrolled in the Kokumin (the records followed her :confused: ), talked to the Uni, they put her on the Uni medical plan which she later opted out of.........In my case I did something a bit diferent (as I am self-employed) but more or less the same result. YMMV........

Like you said, once in the system it is incredibly hard to get out of it........but with dazzling footwork anything is possible. When I now go to the hospital(clinic) I usually pay full shot(so a checkup is 3000+-). As my deductible is US100 I never get that far. My regular doctor has taken pity on me ;) ..........Even the dentist is not that expensive (especially if you need major work) as the only part that is covered is the "work"......All appliances are full shot anyway.

I did this a number of years ago when I got shellaced by a hospital stay for pneumonia......8 days was 490,000 Yen of which I had to pay 30%, not including the money I had to pay back to customers for contracted pre-paid work! It was a very expensive lesson......

It's interesting that I asked about medical care in Japan and mostly got replies about taxes or the screwed up healthcare there. I do still want to know more about getting private insurance that covers you in Japan. =D

I doubt any of you have ever used or known anyone that resorted to Medicaid but I assure you, it would make the whacked Japenese health care system seem beautiful. High wage workers can easily forget that our companies are subsidizing the huge U.S. health care costs by paying most / all of our insurance premiums.

If you've ever signed up for private insurance in the U.S. -- not the shoddy kind but the ones with reasonable restrictions and chance of payout -- you'll note that the monthly premiums range from $150 - $300 per person. While you might be paying the rough equivalent in Japanese taxes, the system there has achieved nearly universal health care with one of the healthiest populations on the planet.

It's interesting that I asked about medical care in Japan and mostly got replies about taxes or the screwed up healthcare there. I do still want to know more about getting private insurance that covers you in Japan. =D

I doubt any of you have ever used or known anyone that resorted to Medicaid but I assure you, it would make the whacked Japenese health care system seem beautiful. High wage workers can easily forget that our companies are subsidizing the huge U.S. health care costs by paying most / all of our insurance premiums.

If you've ever signed up for private insurance in the U.S. -- not the shoddy kind but the ones with reasonable restrictions and chance of payout -- you'll note that the monthly premiums range from $150 - $300 per person. While you might be paying the rough equivalent in Japanese taxes, the system there has achieved nearly universal health care with one of the healthiest populations on the planet.

I offered you a link in my first response to your question.....
You could also try Allianz, I have used them before. It was about 1800+USD per annum. YMMV

I was not comparing my situation here to any situation stateside and I fail to see any linkage. I am truly sorry for the state of American healthcare, but as a Canadian living in Japan I wouldn't know enough about it to comment properly.

You will be able to join Japanese healthcare as soon as you secure a tax paying job, have an appropriate visa, and have registered with the local authorities. Hope this helps.....
Cheers. :)

You will be able to join Japanese healthcare as soon as you secure a tax paying job, have an appropriate visa, and have registered with the local authorities.

Do you need a tax paying job?

For people who are not working, I think there is a Kokumin insurance (of very limited form) which you can buy into at your local City Hall. Certainly there used to be something along those lines - I recall that a friend of mine, whose employer was not providing any insurance, was able to finagle himself onto this scheme after he fell ill. IIRC, it saved him something like 50% of his hospital expenses.

I'm sorry that I don't know more about this - There must be some information on the internet somewhere. I don't think you need to be in a tax-paying job. (I would imagine that you probably do need to be a legal resident).

As for when you do have a tax-paying job, if you can avoid ever being enrolled into one of the Japanese national kenko hoken schemes, then all power to you (but take out a better plan with a private company). Once you're in the national plan, they try to make sure that you never escape. Even Pickles (aka James Bond) is caught in its clutches....

[QUOTE=sirl]Medical coverage in Japan is a pain for foreigners. Medical coverage is not a pain for legal foreigners with the right of abode and visa

With an employer, you can get Japan's Employee Health Care. Without proof that you're staying more than a year -- i.e. something better than a tourist visa -- you can't get Japan's National Health Care.

I have a question, Why do you think you are entitled to health coverage if you are not a resident?

If you're moving to Japan without a job, as I plan to in the next few months, this situation will lead you to seek private medical insurance that will cover you in Japan. Does anyone have any advice on this? Can anyone recommend a good international insurance company?

As you are coming on a tourist visa(not spousal as we have already discussed in your other thread) then I suppose you will have to pay for "travel medical insurance". Many companies like AIG/Blue Cross etc. have plans that will cover you for up to 1 year. If those companies don't work for you then try an expat plan at Allianz or at the other company I gave a link to previously.
Cheers

Do you need a tax paying job?
I believe you need a job and be in the system with proper papers and registration. IMHO

Thanks again! I'll check out Allianz and some of the travel insurance plans.

I saw this in the paper.
http://www.x-pat.net/
gotta run