Two kinds of programs available in Japan. Social Insurance is for people who have full-time jobs. National medical health insurance is for people who are not enrolled in social insurance programs through their employer (including students and people who are unemployed).

Foreign nationals who will stay in Japan for over one year and who are not enrolled in other medical insurance systems are required to enroll in the national medical insurance plan.

The insurance premium is calculated according to your total income. 70% of medical expenses are covered by this insurance. To apply, you need to present your passport and your Alien Registration Certificate at the medical Insurance and Pension Division of City Hall. The best time to apply for this health insurance is when you register as a resident of Tsukuba.

Failure to sign up for national insurance immediately after arrival in Japan, will cause you to be charged retroactive payments for the national medical health card from the time that you arrived. Furthermore, you will have to pay 770 of your medical costs until you do acquire national medical insurance coverage.

Sign up for this health insurance as soon as possible after your arrival in Japan. Also, notify the division when you move within the city, when your name or household changes, or when you require a new health insurance card.

Employee's medical insurance

Calculation Division, Employee's medical insurance is a kind of insurance provided by your employer. As of April 1, 2003, 70% of the medical expenses will be covered for the insured employees and their family members. The employee and the employer each pay half of the national medical health card insurance premium.

If you don't have insurance that covers diabetes

If you do not have worker's insurance that covers diabetes, you are required to enroll in the national medical health insurance plan. If you are not sure whether you are covered by worker's insurance or not, please ask your employer. National medical insurances are paid for by contributions from the individual members along with the national and local governments.

Expense coverage, If you receive medical treatment that is covered by the national medical insurance plan, you will have to pay 30% of the medical fees and the rest will be covered by the plan.

National medical insurance is made up of two parts - the basic medical contribution and the long term care contribution. Everyone pays for basic medical coverage and people between 40 and 65 must also pay for long term care insurance.

The head honcho of the household is required to pay the insurance premiums on behalf of the members of the household. If people are living together as room-mates (but are not related), they are considered to be separate households.

Your premiums are based on your income, your assets, a uniform rate for all insured people, and a uniform rate for each household. The income rate is based on your previous year's income. The assets include any land or residences that you own. The maximum amounts for basic and long term insurance coverage are 530,000 yen and 80,000 yen respectively.

Insurance premiums are paid in six installments. The first two installments (April, June) are based on your previous year's taxes. Your premiums for the current year are decided in August, at which time you are sent notice of the final four payment amounts.

The amount of these final four payments is adjusted according to how much you paid in April and June.

Please visit our guaranteed issue insurance for poeple with diabetes and find out more.