Health How does the health system work in Japan?

[ArmandV]

Whether you're paying for medical insurance through an insurance premium or by taxes, the bottom-line is you're still paying for it.

People seem to think they have a right or entitled to all kinds of things these days. It is this gimmie-gimme mentality that is causing the problem. It is still coming out of someone's pocket, pure and simple.

 

[Glenski]

Depending on the doctor, you may be able to get around the clause about pre-existing conditions. If you get the Japanese doctor to diagnose you as if it were the first time, then the condition is not pre-existing when you go in for treatment. No promises on this one, folks, but I've heard reports of it working for some people.

 

[Goldiegirl]

I have no issues with paying for medical care...but it has to be reasonable and so should the insurance. The hospitals, doctors charge outrageous prices and so do the insurnace companies. When I didn't have insurance I paid more for my services than what the insurance companies pay. There are deals to the insurance companies but not for us who are uninsured...we get charged the maximum. I don't expect to be given anything other than affordable health care and insurance. In no way is $600 reasonable in any circumstance. I pay taxes...where is my insurance, my health care?

Thank-you Glenski...I was kinda thinking that. I don't take any medications or anything, so it's not an obvious illness, and I am in remission so technically I am ok...right now.

 

[GaijinPunch]

I've never had any problem with the U.S. system.

I had a fantastic policy in the US for emergencies and surgeries -- insurance paid 90%. Didn't cover prescriptions at all and still ran over $400 USD a month. My wife had an operation which something similar to a Ceasarian Section, but I believe more invasive. They sent her home on day 3, barely able to walk, b/c insurance won't pay for any more.
The Aids victim in the waiting room all day w/ 103 temperature was a relative. Different issue, but still an issue.
My mom does a lot of work with poor people. I could go on for pages. I'm not saying that any one system is better than the US system. They all seem to have VERY blatant faults. I really think none of them should be praised. None that I'm aware of yet.

If you get the Japanese doctor to diagnose you as if it were the first time, then the condition is not pre-existing when you go in for treatment.

I've heard countless stories of people showing up w/ no insurance, and the doctor telling them to come back once they've got their insurance and they'll bill them then.

 

[Taiko666]

I was considering starting a thread about the Japanese health system, but since I've just found this one I'll post here... neary a year late...

Anyway, my views of the Japanese health system

Preventative medicine
In Japan, the annual full check-up I receive (Ningen Dock) is wonderful. Blood tests, ultra-sound scans, digestive checks... you name it. Cancers and other serious illnesses can be diagnosed at an early stage. It's reassuring, and raises self-awareness of one's body and health.

I've never had a preventative health check in the UK, and I doubt if many others have. Of course, most women get free cancer checks, which is great (men are obviously more expendable, since mens' cancers are ignored.) And there's lots of info available, and advice given. But no actual checks.

Hospital care
I had a small operation in Japan two years ago. I was hospitalized for one week, when the same op in the UK would have taken less than one day. I felt pampered, but was concerned that I was occupying a bed required by somebody with more serious needs than me.

Emergency care
OK I've not need emergency care in Japan yet, but my impression is that it's terrible. In the last few months there must have been a dozen or so cases of patients being denied emergency care by hospital after hospital... with many consequently dying. Emergency departments seem to lack triage. And paramedics don't have the skills or even the authority to administer adequate initial attention. And nobody seems to care!

This of course is in complete contrast to the UK / Europe / America.

Back in the days of HillaryCare being proposed, when America was looking to institute socialized medicine, much attention was given to the Canadian and British models, which by my inadequately informed understanding are both abyssmal failures.

Where did that understanding come from? As I said earlier, preventative medicine in the UK needs improvement, but otherwise health care is excellent, efficient and FREE. Even after-care, such as long term physiotherapy, is completely free.

Waiting lists for non-emergency operations can be long in the UK, but one can opt for a fairly inexpensive (much cheaper than Japan's anyway) private health plan in addition to the National Health Service. You can have a your op almost immediately in a private hospital. Thus is possible to have the best of both worlds.

 

[ArmandV]

If Canada's system is so wonderful, why do so many Canadians come down to the U.S. for treatment (operations, etc.)?

 

[ullvarg]

First of I have to say that my experiences with the Japanese health care system have been good, I don't really have any complaints on it except that some drugs like havrix (hepatitis vaccination) aren't approved yet.
The whole deal with getting medicines every single time when you go to the doctor comes from Chinese medicine. In Chinese medicine its a custom that every time you go to the doctor your supposed to get something with you home home lived on in japan when the went over to western medicine.

Back in the days of HillaryCare being proposed, when America was looking to institute socialized medicine, much attention was given to the Canadian and British models, which by my inadequately informed understanding are both abyssmal failures.

When Bill moved into the White house and Hilldog started here campaigning for the social health plan, the American Republicans started a campaign about socialist horror base on lies, to push the American publics opinions away from the idea. The truth is the only Americans that can consider the Canadian of British systems abyssmal failures are rich Americans who can afford an expensive health insurers, because for the they would not only have to help pay for everyone else's health care, but the quality would probably also fall a couple of notches, but isn't that worth it to know that everyone have a right to proper health care.

From what I've heard Scandinavian countries have some of the best welfare and health systems in the world.

Yea its pretty good in Scandinavia, everyone thats in one of the country's including tourist have a right to free health care, everyone is treated equally no mater if your rich or poor, and the overall standard is good. For operations and the like the waiting lists can run up to 5 years though, but if something becomes critical then they get bumped up the list, so it still works. The problem is that the system is leaking money and taxes are high but when u grow up in a socialist country you generally don't have any problems with it since you grow up with the ideal that you should help other people too.
On a side note, the French health care system is supposed to be the most bulletproof one in the world, the problem with it is that its leaks even more money.

If Canada's system is so wonderful, why do so many Canadians come down to the U.S. for treatment (operations, etc.)?

The American system is great, if your rich, and sucks if your not. I'm pretty sure that allot of the Canadians coming to America for health care are rich Canadians just like there is allot of Americans who marry their Canadian friends because they cant afford the health care they need back in the states.

 

[thatsme]

Unfortunately I never needed to go to hospital therefore I am not able to say if it worked well for me in countries where I lived so far.
The only thing I can say is only based on word of mouth which can be very subjective and information from the media which can be over exagerated.
But If I am asked, I would say that either the Japanese system or most the European are fine with me, as for the American one I have been influenced too negatively it would'nt be fair to even share my opinion, obviously I can say the same for anything really.

 

[Glenski]

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