Japanese Health Checks with Socialized Health Insurance
Since I began working in Japan, I’ve been required to get annual health checks. I decided to give a glimpse into them, but first I’ll briefly explain what the health insurance is like in Japan.
Socialized Health Insurance
Japan is a country with socialized health insurance, something that seems very much in debate back home in the US.
There are basically 2 types of health insurance in Japan: Japanese National Health Insurance and Japanese Health Insurance.
The former is for everyone, mainly aimed at unemployed, students, etc., and the latter is through an employer. They’re more or less the same thing, just some details are different as well as who does the paperwork.
I work at a company so mine is the latter.
Tax for the socialized health insurance isn’t that much.
A lot of the debate in the US is how much of people’s incomes will be taxed. I came across this anti-socialized health insurance person’s tweet:
😆When you have 46% of your income taken to pay for socialized medicine, don't bitch. Remember this. https://t.co/LxWLvAUL9q
— HipCheck Granny (@HipCheckGranny) November 8, 2020
I thought, that’s not right because I’m not taxed that much.
Of course each country’s system is different, but of the roughly 37% that gets taken out of my monthly paycheck, only about 5% is going to the socialized health insurance.
How much are copayments?
The health insurance covers 70%. When you reach a certain age, that goes up to 90%.
Luckily, I haven’t had any serious incidents or procedures. For visits to internal medicine doctors or dermatologists, I don’t think I’ve ever had a copayment of more than USD $20.
My most recent use was for a dental visit, which is part of the same insurance.
I found a US-educated, fluent English speaking practice in Tokyo and decided to go. This was my first visit:
First-time fee
3 x-rays (left, right, panorama)
Cleaning
= 4,290 JPY (~ USD $41.04)
But then I had a cavity and went back for a filling. The insurance won’t cover any ceramic filling, but it covers white composite.
Local anesthesia
White composite filling
= 2,470 JPY (~ USD $23.63)
Quite a good deal, in my opinion.
Health check
Before going into the health check, we’re required to complete a form. It’s a scantron of questions. Most of them are basic, but there are questions that I found strange the first time, like, “Do you eat faster than those around you?” and “Do you walk faster or slower than people your age?”.
We usually do the urine test at the clinic, however this year we were told to fill up a tube and bring it in.
The health checks I’ve been to are done in somewhat of an assembly-line type of fashion where we’re called in and out of different rooms, each doing a different check.
Checks done during the health test
Eye exam
Hearing test
Height, weight, waist measurements
Chest x-ray
Blood test
EKG test (I think)
Final doctor consultation w/ stethoscope check
Watch my video to see more.