Cabinet OKs limiting health insurance coverage to Japan residents

Through another law revision, the government also aims to link state medical and nursing care databases and provide anonymized information to users such as research organizations and drug makers for a fee.

Sorry, I do not trust the government protect my privacy! They created the "my number" scheme under the guise of tax collection, but it is becoming more and more invasive and our privacy is nearly gone!

Is this a real problem? No statistics shown regarding number of fraud allegations or investigations. 

For dependents to receive healthcare, the foreign workers would have to be on shakai hoken, which means they would have to be seishain on permanent contracts (no!) or keiyaku shain on yearly etc. contracts (unlikely). Ordinary insurance, kokumin kenko hoken, used by temporary and part time workers does not cover any dependents.

I cannot foresee many people employing guest workers as keiyaku shain, making this a non-problem. It is certainly not a headline problem, and turning it into one encourages ordinary Japanese to view guest workers with fear and suspicion. It also encourages ordinary Japanese to think that foreign workers must be on shakai hoken, i.e., they must be being employed in well paying, stable jobs. This is also very unlikely. Millions of Japanese themselves do not receive shakai hoken because their employers skirt around paying it.

Is this a real problem? No statistics shown regarding number of fraud allegations or investigations. Will this also apply to Japanese nationals whose family members live or study abroad?... Once again, a story without requisite details.

Laws are not always made to correct a problem, but to prevent anyone from occurring in the future! There does not have to be any "details" as to why.

Does not matter if it is a problem either , it's a loophole being closed, because until now, even though there have been high profile cases of fraud and abuse(i.e. "talento" Rolla's father) , it's only been, for the most part, "Japanese" that have used the system. There are not all that many Japanese that know that the insurance system can be used for overseas expenses too! It is not highly publicized nor known.

Also, don't trust statistics put out by the Japanese government. Even people across the world are calling into question how Japan collects and disseminates information and statistics.

Common sense, it seems. If you don't live here or pay into the system, why on earth would have the right to use the national health system?

The cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a bill Friday that will make the country's health insurance program for employees applicable only to workers and their dependents residing in the country to prevent abuse by people living overseas.

But they were not allowed to bring their families, now they a ruled off the family tree that everyone else gets benefits from. Unless you want only singles to come and marry your daughters that is what you are achieving.

@Andrew Crisp

I can show you my insurance card, it doesn't mean my insurance company is going to pay one dime of a medical bill I get while in a foreign country.

Are you expecting Japanese Immigration to start checking people's health insurance policy coverage as they come through the airport?

If they aren't paying into the health insurance plan, they shouldn't get it. However, if they are paying into it, AND living abroad, they should have access when here. I doubt that is the case for many, if any, though. As for My Number, it's a scam to get back taxes from people who haven't been paying into things like pension and health care (nor have they been receiving benefits), as well as to provide personal information to government bodies and even non-government bodies. Momii, former NHK head, said he would demand the government give access to bank account information so that they could see who is paying fees and who is not, and the government did not signal any opposition. THAT is how it will be used.

Good on them - Anyone who arrives in Japan should be made to prove they health insurance, if not they should be given the immediate opportunity to purchase some to cover their stay, if they don't then they should be immediately deported.

Sorry, I do not trust the government protect my privacy! They created the "my number" scheme under the guise of tax collection, but it is becoming more and more invasive and our privacy is nearly gone!

I personally have no problem with that...

“So for the government to shell out money to cover the cost of some individuals that might be abusing the system would hurt the economy.”

Yup. The illegals in the US, who’ve no right to be here in 1st place, are a burden on the system too. Japan is doing the right thing. The US is not.

I can understand Japan’s stance because health care costs can be great. So for the government to shell out money to cover the cost of some individuals that might be abusing the system would hurt the economy.

However, the big issue here is that some visas will not allow them to bring their family members so this will be a huge factor in foreign workers not coming to Japan. Especially when that worker is the primary provider.

As for the system. It is up to the company whether they provide full insurance benefits. Year to year workers are also eligible. Also, the national insurance done through the city also allows the same kind of system so even part time workers are eligible to have their family members benefit.

My original contract with my University was Year to year. However, I am on the Shakai Hoken. This upcoming March will be the first time I will receive a 3 year contract. I’ve been with them for 3 one year contract.

Is this a real problem? No statistics shown regarding number of fraud allegations or investigations. Will this also apply to Japanese nationals whose family members live or study abroad?... Once again, a story without requisite details.

If they aren't paying into the health insurance plan, they shouldn't get it. However, if they are paying into it, AND living abroad, they should have access when here.

But only a fraction of the total cost of healthcare is financed through compulsory insurance. The rest depends on general tax revenue. If someone is paying the premiums but not Japanese taxes, they will inevitably end up being a free-rider.

Scrote, every adult by law in Japan is under national health insurance, paying or not is a different issue and subject to legal punishment

IIRC, payment is by family head of household, with the premium based upon their income. The premium amount does not increase because you have additional dependents – elderly parents, etc. If this is an issue for foreign dependents, then it should also be an issue for Japan resident dependents.

How will that work, I wonder? Every adult can have a My Number card, but not every adult pays the medical insurance premiums.

Maybe, it's their solution to stop people from letting other use their  health insurance.

However, I am also skeptic on how the government handles the info provider by the My Number system.

@Alex Eins

oh, and btw as JP resident, one is obliged by law to have an insurance ( national or workers) ,private insurance is not valid for a resident of Japan except in cases of add^on coverage.So yes immigration do check your status when you pass thru airport gates.in fact you can have your visa revoked if have been avoiding the payment.

I was replying to Andrew Crisp's notion that anyone who arrives in Japan, not just Japanese residents, should have to prove that they have health insurance.

I can say with 100% certainty that on my many visits to Japan, not once has my health insurance status been checked when going through immigration.

The cabinet also approved a bill to amend legislation so that people could present national ID cards known as My Number cards in place of standard health insurance certificates

How will that work, I wonder? Every adult can have a My Number card, but not every adult pays the medical insurance premiums.

Good!

Honestly whatever Abe decides can’t be good.

Millions of Japanese themselves do not receive shakai hoken because their employers skirt around paying it.

fully employed workers in companies over certain amount of full time employees all eligible to receive workers insurance and oversight over that is extremely strict incl pension benefits

in addition, it can be cheaper to be on your own pension / insurance over certain pay bracket

Japanese insurance system is one of the best there is , no wonder that people abuse it because it allows a dependant under certain salary to be covered. This should be abolished too, in addition to absolutely no benefits for anyone not a resident. I dont want to be paying my share in to cover these freeloaders.

glad they closed a ridiculous loophole, but it aint that big of a news really...

oh, and btw as JP resident, one is obliged by law to have an insurance ( national or workers) ,private insurance is not valid for a resident of Japan except in cases of add^on coverage.So yes immigration do check your status when you pass thru airport gates.in fact you can have your visa revoked if have been avoiding the payment.