Japanese National Health Insurance

Hi

I'm due to start working in Japan shortly (in fact, Monday!) and have been doing a bit of research on the NHI... I've heard some stories about it being a bit pricey, it not covering 100% in some instances, and of it being hard to get out of once you're signed up. Has anyone had any experience of this?

I'm going to be signed up with InterGlobal through the company I'm working for (Interac) initially, which is going to be between 5,500 - 7,300 Yen per month. So I've got a few weeks to do my research into the best choice.

Any info would be helpful!!

NHI pays for 70% of your expenses on whatever it covers. Obviously, it doesn't cover all possible medical situations.

Your first year, NHI costs only 2500 yen/month because the government has no record of your earnings here. After that, NHI costs go up about tenfold. Live with it. Everyone else does. The actual cost depends on last year's Japanese earnings, your location, and a few other factors. Getting out is a little hard, but just get another form of insurance, and stop paying. The only risk you run is that if you want to go BACK to NHI, you are obligated to make backpayments up to 2 years worth.

Go with whomever you want, but here are 2 caveats.

1. If your company has corporate insurance (a different form of NHI called shakai hoken), you are probably obligated to take it. It is more than just insurance; it is also a retirement and pension plan, but don't get upset if you plan NOT to retire here. You can get back most of about 3 years of those payments.

2. If you can go with another insurance outfit, beware that they may ask that you pay all of the initial costs of any treatment and medication up front. 100%. Then, they will reimburse you, but that could take a month or more.

This is not about the health insurance, but about the pension.

International Social Security Agreement
http://www.sia.go.jp/e/ag.html

Objectives
a) Elimination of dual coverage
b) Totalization of periods of coverage

Germany
United States
Belgium
France
United Kingdom
Korea

Click to expand...

UK-Japan reach the International Social Security Agreement, but the agreement has yet to cover the b) totalization, only with UK and Korea.
According to the website, the British government has not held the talk about the totalization with any countries after 1985, and the Korean refuses the talk because their pension scheme is rather new and they think the long 25 year payment of the Japan's scheme is unfair to them (actually I partly agree with them).

Once you receive the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments when you leave Japan, you cannot claim the pension paid in Japan in the future.

However, if you receive the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment, please note that the period corresponding to the paid amount cannot be summed up.

Click to expand...

*snip
For some from the countries below, you should keep the info updated by the competent authorities not to avoid a "haste makes waste" decision.

Signedﾂ（Under preparation for implementationﾂ）
Australia
Canada

Click to expand...

Under negotiation or under preparation for negotiation
The Netherlands
Czech Republic
Spain
Italy
Ireland
Hungary

Click to expand...