When you join National Health Insurance, by paying a monthly premium you pay 30% of the total treatment or medication fee. Non-Japanese residents who have an alien registration card and intend to stay more than a year can join the National Health Insurance.
All international students who plan to stay more than a year must join National Health Insurance and cannot withdraw from it.
Even if your period of stay is less than a year, as long as you have a reason to stay, you can consult the National Health Insurance section in your local City Hall. Families of international students or foreign researchers will be covered as well.
Consult the National Health Insurance section at your local city hall. City halls are usually open Monday through Friday, from 9am to 5pm. They are closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday. You don't need to make an appointment.
Monthly premium depends on your income and the area you live. The premium can be discounted depending on your condition. For more information, consult your local National Health Insurance section. Please note that if you didn't join National Health Insurance as soon as you arrived in Japan, the premium will be charged for the period you didn't join as well. For example, if you came to Japan in August and joined National Health Insurance in October, the monthly premium will be charged from August.
Go to your local National Health Insurance section in City Hall. Bring your alien registration card and passport or student ID. No payment is necessary when you enroll.
If you are hospitalized or undergo surgery and pay high medical fees, the National Health Insurance has a financial benefit support called Kougaku Ryouyouhi (Benefit for High Medical fees). For example, in Bunkyou-ku if a person's monthly total medical expense was over 80,100yen (this really depends on the person's income and City they live in), they can get some reimbursement from the National Health Insurance. Please remember that NHI doesn't pay the total balance of the total medical expense. The amount of reimbursement is calculated according to a special formula. To apply for this, go to the local NHI section and submit the Benefit for High Medical fees application with an itemized receipt from the hospaital. For further information ask your local NHI section in city hall.
The medical expense for normal delivery of a baby is not covered by NHI; however a lump-sum birth allowance of 350,000yen is given to a mother. The allowance is applied to premature births, stillbirths, miscarriages, abortion, and abnormal births as long as the pregnancy lasted 85 days or longer. In case of babies delivered overseas, if the application is submitted within 2 years after birth, the allowance will be paid. To apply, go to your local NHI section in city hall with your hanko, NHI card, maternal and child health handbook and your bank details after childbirth.
Even if you receive medical treatment overseas, as long as you are a NHI policyholder, NHI covers the 30% of the total medical expenses. But the medical treatment must be a type that is covered in Japan as well. Patients pay the full expenses overseas, and after coming back to Japan can apply for the benefit with an Itemized Receipt and the Attending Physician's Statement (translated into Japanese) at their local NHI section in city hall. Note that NHI doesn't pay the total balance of the total medical expenses. The amount of reimbursement is calculated according to a special formula. This benefit doesn't apply to non-NHI covered treatments. Also, if people go overseas for the purpose of such surgery or treatment, NHI won't pay the reimbursement for these as well.
If you receive treatment without your NHI card at a clinic/hospital and pay the total medical expenses, go to your local NHI section in City Hall and apply for reimbursement. You will need to submit an Itemized Receipt and Attending Physician's Statement (you can get them from the clinic/hospital) with the application. It may take 2 or 3 months to get reimbursement.
Social Health insurance can be subscribed to company employees through employer. Self-employed workers or freelance workers join National Health Insurance. You may be asked what kind of insurance you have at a clinic/hospital, so please keep the difference reminded.
