Application Procedures for the National Health Insurance Program
(国民健康保険の届出について)

1. How to Apply for Coverage (加入する場合)

The householder should submit an application to the group in charge of health insurance and pension programs at your local ward office within 14 days of becoming eligible for National Health Insurance coverage.

The following items are necessary to apply for National Health Insurance Certificate coverage：

• Your passport
• Your 在留カード (Zairyu Card or Residence Card）
• Your 指定書 (Shiteisho or Certificate of Designation) (if you were granted the status of residence of “Designated Activities” on or after January 1, 2011)
• A 健康保険資格喪失証明書 (Kenkohoken Shikaku Soshitsu Shomeisho or Certificate of Loss of Eligibility for Coverage by Employee Health Insurance) if you are no longer covered by your company’s employee health insurance program. (The certificate should be issued by the health insurance union of your former employer.)
• Your personal seal (if you have one)
• Personal seal registered at your bank, or your cash card.

After your application is accepted, 国民健康保険証等交付通知書 (Kokumin Kenko Hokensho To Kofu Tsuchisho or Notice of Issuance of National Health Insurance Certificate Etc.) will be sent to the householder. Please take this notice to the group in charge of health insurance and pension programs at your local ward office. You will receive your National Health Insurance Certificate after your eligibility for coverage is confirmed. (It takes about one week from application to issuance of National Health Insurance Certificate.)

2. Discontinuing Coverage (やめる場合)

In any of the following cases, you should apply to discontinue your National Health Insurance coverage within 14 days at the group in charge of health insurance and pension programs at your local ward office and return your National Health Insurance Certificate to the ward office at the same time.

1. Leaving Japan (This does not apply if you are leaving temporarily and will return to Japan shortly, e.g. within one year.)
2. Transferring your address to another municipality (If you change your address within Osaka City, you should complete necessary procedures at the ward office of your new address.)
3. Becoming enrolled in an employee health insurance plan

3. Delayed Enrollment (届出が遅れた場合)

If you fail to complete enrollment procedures by the specified deadline, your insurance premiums will be charged retroactively to the date when you first became eligible for National Health Insurance (up to two years).
If you receive medical care with your National Health Insurance Certificate after you have lost the eligibility for the coverage, you will have to reimburse the portion of the medical cost covered by National Health Insurance to Osaka City.

4. Others (その他)

※From January 2016, those who have personal number (My Number) should be required to confirm their personal number and to verify their identification for administrative procedures.. (* Required documents and whose personal number is required vary depending on procedure. Please inquire at the respective counter in charge.)