No coverage for overseas dependents

A proposal presented recently at a policy council under the ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has called for the exclusion on coverage of overseas dependents of Japanese nationals as well as foreigners working in Japan, owing to rising healthcare costs.

Japan’s universal health insurance system requires all citizens and non-Japanese residing in the country for more than three months to enroll in either national or employer-sponsored plans. Coverage extends to family members who meet certain criteria.

This means that foreigners’ dependents can be eligible for benefits even if they do not live in Japan. Under the proposed legislation, coverage would in principle be limited to family members residing in the country.

With an increase in foreign labour looming ahead of an April 1 loosening of work permit rules, lawmakers in the ruling coalition have expressed concern that this could further drive up national health care spending, which is already rising in the aging country, according to a report by Nikkei Asian Review.

The ministry aims to submit a bill incorporating the changes during the parliamentary session starting later this month, with the new eligibility rules expected to take effect on April 1, 2020.

The proposal would also give municipalities, which run the national health insurance program locally, authority to check with employers or schools on the eligibility status of non-Japanese residents. It also calls for the creation of a fund for promoting the use of electronic medical records and other digital technology in health care provision.