When You Are Ill

Having an Examination

<Clinical Examination>

Should you feel sick, take your National Health Insurance Confirmation of Eligibility and some money and visit a hospital with the appropriate department for your symptoms as soon as possible. Each hospital sets its own office hours of outpatient care for new patients, but they are usually open on weekday mornings, and are closed on Sundays and national holidays (some hospitals are also closed on Saturdays).
At most hospitals other than dental clinics, you can see a doctor on a first-come, first-served basis. You may have a long wait at a large hospital. Sudden illnesses and emergencies on Sundays, holidays, and during the night are handled by emergency clinics.

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2 Medical Insurance System

Everyone who lives in Japan is required to enroll in one of the following public health insurance programs: Employee Health Insurance, in which company employees and their dependent family members are enrolled, Medical Care System for the Elderly for those aged 75 years or older (and those aged 65 or older with certain disabilities (by application)), and National Health Insurance for others.

Percentage of medical expenses to be borne by insured persons.

Medical Care System for the Elderly: 10%, 20% or 30%
70 years old to 74 years old: 20% or 30%
6 years old (from April 1st) to 69 years old: 30%
0 years old to 6 years old, until March 31st: 20%

If you are hospitalized, a fee for meals is additionally required.

What to present when visiting a medical institution

If you have an Individual Number card that has been registered as a National Health Insurance Certificate, please present your Individual Number card when visiting a medical institution. All others must present a certificate of eligibility.

1 Employee Health Insurance

Company employees and their dependent family members are enrolled in the Employee Health Insurance Program. The company for which you work handles the application procedures and automatically deducts the premium from your salary.

2 National Health Insurance

Those who have registered as residents of Osaka City, but who are not covered by health insurance at their workplace, are required to join the National Health Insurance Program. For people who have a status of residence of 3 months or less and have an address, if your status is “Entertainer,” “Technical intern training,” “Dependent,” or “Designated activities,” and materials affirm that your stay will exceed 3 months, you cannot register your residency but you can still purchase National Health Insurance.

NOTE: 1 In accordance with the U.S.-Japan Social Security Agreement, those persons applicable under the United States Statute for Cost Reimbursement (Gasshukoku Hiyou Futan Horei) and are judged to be adequately insured against costs incurred by receiving medical care in Japan by the Social Security Administration of the United States, will be exempt from National Health Insurance.
(Japan has concluded similar social security agreements with the Kingdom of Belgium, the French Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the Swiss Confederation, Republic of Hungary, and Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.)
2 If your status of residence is “Official,” you don’t need to register as a resident, but you do need to establish National Health Insurance coverage if your stay in Japan will be longer than three months.
3 Please note that individuals whose status of residence is “Designated Activities” in which the contents of activities that have been described in the designation form apply to the following items (1) and (2) are not eligible for national health insurance
(1) Individuals whose status of residence is “Designated Activities” for receiving medical care and persons that are designated to assist the daily life of those individuals.
(2) Individuals whose status of residence is “Designated Activities” for engaging in “sightseeing, recreation, or other similar activities” and spouses that have accompanied those individuals.

Application and Payment of Premiums

To enroll in the National Health Insurance Program, apply at your local ward office. You must present a document showing your Individual Number (only those who have it) when you apply. If your permitted period of stay in Japan is less than three months, please present some form of documentation to prove that you will be staying in Japan for more than three months. Payment of insurance premiums is primarily by direct debit, so please apply for this when completing your enrollment. If you receive a payment slip, pay it at a nearby bank, post office, convenience store, or ward office. Convenience stores accept payments during the night and holidays.

Changing residence / Moving to a different municipality / Enrolling in a different health insurance scheme

You must complete the proper formalities at your local ward office in your new address within 14 days of the above changes.

<Documents required>

National Health Insurance Confirmation of Eligibility (only those who have it)
Documents showing your Individual Number (only those who have it)
Residence Card or other identity verification document
If you have joined a health insurance plan other than the National Health Insurance, Certificate of Eligibility and etc.
*For those who are leaving Japan, please bring your National Health Insurance Confirmation of Eligibility (only those who have it), documents showing your Individual Number (only those who have it), residence card or other identification documents and flight ticket beforehand to the ward office. (If you reside abroad for one year or longer, you will lose your National Health Insurance eligibility during that period.)

3 Medical Care System for the Elderly

Those who have reached the age of 75 years old or older (65 years old or older with certain disabilities (by application)) are required to enroll in the Medical care System for the Elderly and be insured under that system. For more details, please refer to your local ward office.

4 Qualifying for Financial Assistance with Medical Bills

If people with severe disabilities, children up to 18 years of age, or single-parent families (children up to 18 years of age and their parents) receive medical treatment covered by insurance, they may be able to receive subsidies for part of their medical expenses. However, there is an income limit for persons with severe disabilities and single-parent families. If you would like to receive aid, please apply at the health and welfare center of the ward in which you live.

5 Obtaining Refund on Medicine Expenses

If, for unavoidable circumstances, you receive medical treatment without being able to present proof of eligibility and pay the full cost out of pocket, you may be eligible for reimbursement of the amount paid minus the standard co-payment.
If you are covered by Employee Health Insurance, contact the prefectural branch of the Japan Health Insurance Association or your health insurance union. If you are enrolled in National Health Insurance or the Medical Care System for Older Senior Citizens, contact your local ward office.
If you unexpectedly receive treatment abroad due to illness or injury and pay the full cost yourself, please contact your insurer as well.

6 High-cost Medical Expense Benefit

Contact your insurer for details of the application procedure. After the insurer's review, the amount exceeding the limit will be reimbursed.
When you receive care at a medical institution that uses the online eligibility verification system, your payment at the point of service will be limited to the monthly cap. If the institution does not use the online system, you will need a “Certificate of Application of the Maximum Amount” (限度額適用認定証) or an equivalent document—please contact your insurer.

7 Refund for Excessive Medical Care and Nursing Care Payments

Separate programs apply to medical treatment and nursing care costs incurred by households. If the total of co-payments paid for either category during a single year (calculated as the period from August 1 to July 31) exceeds a certain level, you will be reimbursed for the payments that exceed that level.
For information on application procedures, please contact your current insurer of record as of July 31.

8 Lump Sum Birth Allowance

If a policyholder bears a child—this includes stillbirths and miscarriages—a lump-sum benefit for childbirth will be provided in line with the regulations outlined in your health insurance policy. For information about application procedures, provision requirements, and monetary amounts, etc. please refer to your insurer.

9 Allowance for Funeral Expenses

If a policyholder dies, funeral expenses and certain associated costs will be covered in line with the regulations outlined in your health insurance policy. Queries regarding the application procedure and qualifying conditions should be directed to your insurance agency.

10 Cases Where the Medical Insurance is not Applicable

Health Insurance does not cover the following cases:

Medical treatment and drugs that are not covered by Health Insurance
Extra charges incurred by a private patient’s room or non-essential dental treatment.
Normal pregnancy and child birth.
Medical checkups, inoculation and vaccination
Cosmetic Surgery
Straightening of teeth
If massage or other service is being sought solely for the purpose of fatigue recovery or comfort

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Services For Health

Public Health and Welfare Centers in Osaka City offer various services that contribute to citizens’ health.

1 Health Counseling

Counseling on health and dietary habits.

2 Maternal and Child Health

Free services such as counseling on maternal and child health, issuing of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook, prenatal classes along with vaccinations and checkups for the baby.

3 Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention

Tuberculosis (TB) examinations are provided free of charge for persons 15 years old and over who have not received a health checkup at their school or workplace. There is also a system to bear the medical public expenses patients who are hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for tuberculosis.

4 HIV, AIDS, STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

For more information about tests and consultations, please see the “HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Guide.”
https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/kenko/page/0000549405.html

All tests are free and anonymity is guaranteed
(Test results will be received within a week. However, the result will be received approximately 2 hours later on the same day for the rapid test.)

HIV (AIDS), Syphilis, and Chlamydia tests at the Ward Health and Welfare Center (No reservation required)

※Except National holidays and Year-end/New Year holidays)

Kita Ward Public Health and Welfare Center:
TEL 06-6313-9882
Monday and Friday, 9:30 - 11:00
Wednesday, 14：00 - 15：30
Generally, 5th Friday 18:00–19:30 (capacity: 100 people)
Chuo Ward Public Health and Welfare Center:
TEL 06-6267-9882
Tuesday–Thursday, 9:30–11:00
Note: Only HIV (AIDS) testing takes place on the first Friday of the month at Chuo Ward Public Health and Welfare Center.
Yodogawa Ward Public Health and Welfare Center:
TEL 06-6308-9882
Monday 14:00 - 15:30, Tuesday 9:30 - 11:00

HIV (AIDS), Syphilis, and Hepatitis B testing in other locations

HIV Antibody Testing (capacity: 50 people) (also available on some national holidays , including New Year’s)

Tuesdays 18:00 - 19:50 (No reservation required / the first 50 people will be served)
Thursdays 18:00 - 19:30 (Rapid testing / Reservation required)
Saturdays and Sundays 14:00 - 15:30 (Rapid testing / Reservation required)
For more information about same-day testing with an interpreter (reservation required), please see "For Foreigners" in the "HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Guide.”
https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/kenko/page/0000556213.html

(Address/TEL)

Osaka Testing, Counseling, Education and Support Center "chot CAST"
TEL 06-4708-5035 (Only available during testing hours)
4th floor, 1-7-30 21 Shinsaibashi Building, Higashi-shinsaibashi, Chuo Ward
4-minute walk from Shinsaibashi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line, or 1-minute walk from Nagahoribashi Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line

Counseling

AIDS Consultation
Osaka City Public Health Center, Infectious Diseases Prevention Department
TEL 06-6647-0656 (9:00-17:30 Excludes Sat/Sun, National holidays, Year-end/New Year holidays).
Public Health and Welfare Center of your local Ward
Monday to Friday 9:00 - 17:30 (except National holidays and Year-end/New Year holidays)
AIDS Counseling
Kita Ward Public Health and Welfare Center
<Date> First and Third Wednesday
<Time> 14:00 - 16:00 TEL 06-6313-9968
Chuo Ward Public Health and Welfare Center
<Date,Time>
First and third Thursday 9:30 - 11:30
TEL06-6267-9968
Phone counseling for HIV and STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) in foreign languages
<Date> Tuesday: English, Spanish, Portuegese
Wednesday: Chinese
Thursday: English
<Time> 16:00 - 20:00
(except Year-end/New Year holidays)
<Inquiries> NPO “Charm” TEL 06-6354-5901

4 Medical Consultation