Health Insurance, Should A Young Healthy FG Need One?

[IkemenTommy]

I am in the process of switching jobs so the company I am with now suggested that I should enroll in one of their "post-employment" health plans to cover my day-to-day medical costs. When I was working for the old company, I was getting robbed around 7000 yen per month in health insurance and it covered around 70% of the actual medical costs. The insurance premium will go up to 10,000 yen with the new plan but I still get the same amount of coverage.

In the past, I never had to visit a doctor but I made occasional visits to the dentist's office so it may have paid off in the long run. However, now that the premium is going to go up, and based on the fact that I am still young and healthy and probably won't need medical attention any time soon, should I enroll in this program or not? There will be that time in between jobs that I will not have health insurance, and this is where I need to decide whether I should have one or not. Once my new work starts, I should be covered once again and not worry about it. What are you guys' take on this? Thanks in advance.

[Mulboyne]

Insurance is for when things go wrong not when things go right. You may be young and healthy but you could still have an accident (let's hope not) and you'll need it then.

[ichigo partygirl]

its really not worth the risk, you may be healthy but you are probably not bullet proof. I was shoved over while boarding a train injuring my leg. If it wasnt for health insurance i would have had to pay thousands of dollars.

[IkemenTommy]

OK, so it sounds like I should get one just for a peace of mind, regardless.
Do you guys think 10,000 a month is way too much for premium? There has got to be an alternative (ie Mitsui Sumito or Kaijou Hoan). Do you guys recommend anyone in particular?

[canman]

I second what everybody else said here. Its the accidents that will be your downfall, and cost you everything. I figure most FG here are still relatively young and healthy, but most also have insurance.
On another note, can anyone explain to me why insurance premiums and costs have risen 73% in the US in the past four years. I just can't understand how this can happen and people don't rally in the streets. I know that Canada is haeded that way, and trust me soon you'll see old Junichiro cutting benefits and raising the premiums in Japan, but I must admit it must be a bitch living in the states and trying to care for your family.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050915/ts_latimes/risingpremiumsthreatenjobbasedhealthcoverage

[ichigo partygirl]

Hey all. So i have this killer fricken cold thing at the moment. No voice, feels like im swallowing knives, blocked noise etc etc. I think i need some antibiotics from the doctor to clear it up. However i am a bit worried about the potential cost of a visit to the hospital./I am in the national insurance thing, which covers 70% of the cost i think (?)
Does anyone know the round-about-general price for a cold/flu related trip to the hospital??

Thanks.

[canman]

I just pm'ed you check it out.

[Taro Toporific]

...I am in the national insurance thing, which covers 70% of the cost i think (?)
Does anyone know the round-about-general price for a cold/flu related trip to the hospital??

If you go to a neighborhood clinic, seeing a doctor for the flu will only cost 300-1,000 yen with health insurance depending on how much needs to be done for you.

I was in the ER today with leg infection and watched the show of mothers with sick children. Real dramaqueens. The cost for after-hours treatment was 10,000yen for the kids with bad flu ----Of which 70% was covered so that it cost 3,000 yen out of pocket to take a throat culture, prescribe a placebo and tell mama her baby was not going to die. That's a damn bargan compared to the States, but the nurses said that was rather expensive for Japan.

Come on guys---two or three of you FGs know the EXACT price that will be charged.

[IkemenTommy]

What pisses me off about J public insurance is that it is only good for petty sickness like the flu or the cold. Lasik surgery is not covered.. and so is getting oral braces at the orthodontist's. However, I heard they have insurance programs that covers lasik surgery but I don't know which one does in particular. The surgery process is pretty safe now and near 100% success rate so I am ready for one. Does anyone know which insurance this is?

[FG Lurker]

The surgery process is pretty safe now and near 100% success rate so I am ready for one.

It fucks up the night vision of a small percentage of patients. I don't think I'll gamble with my vision.

[ichigo partygirl]

ok so i found a clinic one station from me that is open sundays and holidays only- especially for flu and colds and minor things like this. hopefully it should be ok - just need some drugs

thanks for the help, i will let you know how much it cost me.

[IkemenTommy]

At the most, it should costs you around 10,000 for the whole visit and the drugs that would last you for a week or so. With insurance, you'll probably be spending around 3,000 at the most.

[ichigo partygirl]

ok so i went and they told me i have fever and throat infection. they gave me ONE DAY worth of medicine and said if i still feel sick tommorrow i should go to hospital.

ok wait a moment

1. You told me what was wrong, why do i need someone else to tell me??
2. ONE DAYS MEDICINE!!!!!! i mean come on it needs more than one day to work, of course im probably not going to be better tommorrow.

grrrrrrrrr i mean so now i gotta pay twice to get told same thing.

BTW the cost including the whole days worth of medicine was 1,810yen.

[Sarutaro]

You are lucky. Each time we go to see the doctor for a regular checkup (my wife is pregnant) we have to pay 8900 Yen.

The visit includes:
1 hour waiting
5 minutes ultrasound and chat with doctor
1 hour waiting while they write the bill
10 minutes waiting at the cashier before we can pay and leave.

And this happens every two weeks...

[FG Lurker]

The waits depend totally on the hospital. Large hospitals tend to have long waits, both to see the doc and then to pay. Some large hospitals now have reservation systems that help avoid most of this though.

When my wife was pregnant with our daughter we chose a mid-sized hospital with a good maternity ward. Waits were short, and I think the attention was more personal. YMMV of course, and different areas have different options available.

Prices are high for pregnancy here... But you do get most of it back after the baby is born. We even ended up making a profit.

[Sarutaro]

Won't be any profit here, I'm afraid. My wife chose Nisseki Hospital in Hiroo...

[FG Lurker]

[FG Lurker]

Won't be any profit here, I'm afraid. My wife chose Nisseki Hospital in Hiroo...

I'm an Osakan, so it doesn't mean much to me. It was 6 years ago that my daughter was born, but I think it was around 300,000yen total.

[Sarutaro]

At least 800,000 yen for delivery only. More if you want epidural...

[FG Lurker]

At least 800,000 yen for delivery only. More if you want epidural...

Sounds like all the attention you get when you visit is worth it though.

[Sarutaro]

Luckily we have found a great woman doctor who speaks English...but the hospital itself is both buraucratic and surprisingly run-down.

[canman]

Are you using the Japanese health insurance system? Lurker is right, you can recoup most of your money from your city office after having the baby. If you have private insurance I guess you are shit our of luck. But I know for sure you can get your money back. And why the huge cost? Most people I know are under the 300 000 yen charge that Lurker mentioned. Unless there are complications or something like that.
Also Ichigo, I hope you are feeling ok, but yes you did enter one of the nastier aspects of the Japanese health system. The multiple visit. Why these emergency places only give out a little amount of medicine is a joke, but that is how the system works, I guess its to keep you alive long enough to make it to another hospital so that doctor can charge the insurance system. YOu don't happen to know any doctors do you? A few times I was lucky enough to just ask my students for help and got a handfull of meds. All for free.

[Sarutaro]

Well, this is the center of the center in Tokyo. Prices are high, that's it. And delivery is not covered by the healthcare system.
You do get the 300,000 yen omedeto gozaimasu-money afterwards, as FG Lurker pointed out. Actually, you get those money even if your wife has a miscarriage, as long as it is after the 3rd month of pregnancy,

[ichigo partygirl]

Thanks canman. Actually i still feel like complete crap but i really cant be bothered going to see a doctor again. Funny thing is i live in an international student dorm and when they found out i was sick i had people knocking at my door offering me their local drugs. I have a small pile of drugs from Malaysia, Russia, Korea, the Phillipines, Aussie and my own kiwi stuff. Haha.

I found i had to buy some masks last night. I hate wearing them and think i look like a complete idiot. However on the train i was getting the dirtiest looks from the Japanese when i was coughing and sniffing.

[Greji]

Thanks canman. Actually i still feel like complete crap but i really cant be bothered going to see a doctor again. Funny thing is i live in an international student dorm and when they found out i was sick i had people knocking at my door offering me their local drugs. I have a small pile of drugs from Malaysia, Russia, Korea, the Phillipines, Aussie and my own kiwi stuff. Haha.

I found i had to buy some masks last night. I hate wearing them and think i look like a complete idiot. However on the train i was getting the dirtiest looks from the Japanese when i was coughing and sniffing.

It really sounds like a bug that is caused by climatic change. A lot of people, myself included, get that when they move between countries or travel internationally for an extended period of time. It can be nasty, but goes away like a 2 or 3 day flu.

BTW you aren't craving wierd food and sick in the mornings are you? That Kiwi going-away bash might have been better that you could remember!

[ichigo partygirl]

excuse me Mr gboothe. How dare you question my honour like that

[B Gallagher]

I have a small pile of drugs from Malaysia, Russia, Korea, the Phillipines, Aussie and my own kiwi stuff. Haha.

Yeah gboothe. At least have the decency to suspect her as a trafficer, and wonder how those drugs from Malaysia got there. I'm sorry, but that's just impressive. :P

Okay.. back on topic. I'm sorry.

[Greji]

excuse me Mr gboothe. How dare you question my honour like that

Honour? Well for you Ichigo, I'll be nice and say that I suppose that might possibly be a consideration, but I don't think I'll follow-up that statement on-line, as it would deter from the thread and intergrity could be a challenge!

[maninjapan]

I was thinking exactly the same thing - so glad I didn't cancel it. Have been healthy for just over two years and thought wow thats like 150,000 yen I have forked out let's cancel it. Last night was puking and pooping and went to hospital.

so glad i didnt get rid of it.