National Health Insurance

National Health Insurance and Pension Division (TEL: 620-1631)
Japan has the policy that all residents participate in the health insurance system so anyone living inside Japan must participate in the public medical insurance program. This is a mutual support system in which each participant pays insurance premiums according income level, and all the participants are able to receive medical care in case of illness or injury without having to worry about medical expenses.

Each type of industry has its own health insurance institute that covers all the workers in that industry. If you are working for a corporation, you and all the workers at the corporation must participate in this insurance program. In this case, please check with the general affairs staff or social welfare staff at your corporation. (This type of insurance is referred to as "Social Insurance.")

All residents living in the city and not yet entered into a medical insurance program as described above must join the National Health Insurance.

Foreigners who live longer than one year under foreign residence registration must also join the National Health Insurance. In principle, foreigners living here less than one year cannot join the National Health Insurance. However, it may be possible for you to join the National Health Insurance program, by being evaluated according to residence conditions based on a certificate of a one-year service period issued by your corporation, or a student certificate.

If you any of the following conditions apply to you, please comply with the required formality within 14 days of the day the condition occurred.

1. Moved to Ibaraki City
2. Quit the health insurance system where you work
3. A child was born
4. Stopped obtaining National Relief

1. Moved away from Ibaraki City *Except in the case that you plan to re-enter Japan,
2. Joined a Health Insurance program at your place of work (i.e., you have Social Insurance).
3. A death has occurred
4. Started obtaining National Relief

1. There has been a change of residence, or a change in the composition of your family
2. Changes to the information in your foreign resident registration certificate.

A payment due statement will be sent to you each June. Please pay before the end of the payment period. You may pay the premium to any nearby bank. It is possible to pay by an automatic transfer from your bank account.

Deductibles and payments

When you receive any medical care at a hospital, be sure to show your Public Health Card at the hospital reception desk. The National Health Insurance system will pay 70% of your medical expenses for illness or injury. Please pay the remaining 30% yourself, for each incidence of care at the hospital. The National Health Insurance will not cover 70% of the medical costs in the following cases.

1. Medical care that is not covered by the National Health Insurance
2. Health checkups
3. Preventive vaccinations and inoculations
4. Cosmetic surgery
5. Normal childbirth
6. Orthodontia
7. Contraception for economic reasons

Covering large medical expenses

If the deductible amount owed to a medical facility due to illness or injury exceeds a certain amount, you may go to the City office to declare the circumstances, and you will be refunded the amount exceeding that limit.

Lump sum payment on the occasion of childbirth

If you are enrolled in the National Health Insurance and you have a baby, you will be paid lump-sum allowance. This lump-sum will also be paid if you experience a stillbirth or miscarry after 4 months (84 days) or longer of pregnancy.

Funeral and festival fees

If a member of the National Health Insurance dies, a part of cost will be paid to the funeral executor.

Foreign student business planning division of Japan Student Services Organization (JSSO) (Independent administrative corporation (TEL: 03-5520-6030)
There is a system available to support part of the medical expenses paid by foreign students to medical facilities assigned by the National Health Insurance. For details, contact the JSSO.