Carding...

[Coligny]

Went to shimin biyoin yesterday for an appointement. I'm already registered there got my member card and national health insurance card (and me Julie on their payroll).
When I checked in at the dept. counter the office gurl asked to see my gaijin card (whatever it's called these dayz) ok, no prob, needed an id with a picture maybee.
Then... Asked me permission to make a copy of the card. Raising standard red flags... In japan... If someone ask politely for explicit permission of something like this that usually mean they have no... Reglementary... right to do so and just play/abuse the "pretty please/but... He allowed me to do so" trick. Said no mentioning that already asking for it was a bit of a police only power (might be wrong, but even the post office happily do with only my driver license for ID) copying it was clearly out of line.
Everything else proceeded without any difference from my other visit (except for the doc who for once seemed to know his job, which is getting boringly rare these days)

Wonder why... Not a huge fan of anarchical storage of personal data anyway...

Told me Julie aboot it who informed me that the pack of secretaries working there was recently booted out of the ob/gyn service for being a bit too... Slow... OB/GY being the second busiest dept after pediatrics, if the administrative staff can't keep up they are rotated quite quickly...

[matsuki]

Next time try handing over your DL instead of the Zairyu card. I think many just assume you don't have a DL and (like you mentioned) want a picture ID.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Next time try handing over your DL instead of the Zairyu card. I think many just assume you don't have a DL and (like you mentioned) want a picture ID.

Have you ever been asked for a photo ID at a hospital or clinic here? I certainly haven't.

[yanpa]

Next time try handing over your DL instead of the Zairyu card. I think many just assume you don't have a DL and (like you mentioned) want a picture ID.

Have you ever been asked for a photo ID at a hospital or clinic here? I certainly haven't.

Me neither. And the health insurance card is generally accept as valid ID in itself.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Next time try handing over your DL instead of the Zairyu card. I think many just assume you don't have a DL and (like you mentioned) want a picture ID.

Have you ever been asked for a photo ID at a hospital or clinic here? I certainly haven't.

Me neither. And the health insurance card is generally accept as valid ID in itself.

Yeah, I've always found it interesting how many places besides hospitals will accept that as ID as there's no photo and you write the address on the card yourself. I guess it's the only form of ID that every adult in Japan has or at least is supposed to have. I wonder how often people use someone else's insurance card for treatment.

[J.A.F.O]

Like I said before I hate the health care here. When I have an issue I usually ask the vet. If something serious comes up I think I'm gonna do like Coligny said and just hop a flight to S.Korea.

Only good doc I met here was the night shift guy at the E.R. --- "5 staples that'll be 1600 yen, have a nice night" all done in less than 15 mins. No pesky questions, no "tests" or any other B.S.

I should have asked him, "Your not from around here are you?"... hmmm.

[Coligny]

Next time try handing over your DL instead of the Zairyu card. I think many just assume you don't have a DL and (like you mentioned) want a picture ID.

Nope, they didn't ask for 'an ID' they specifically asked for my Zairyu card. And here, nothing is written by hand on health insurance card or hospital member card, all is computer generated, the hospital card have magnetic stripe, barcode and all the name/birthdate/serial number are stamped in 3d onto the plastic and the health insurance have a security holographic stamp printed over the printed information.

Like I said before I hate the health care here. When I have an issue I usually ask the vet.

Pretty much my experience here... Vets are awesome...

Pediatrics, neo-natalists... they deserve a bullet in the stomach... So the death is slower and more painfull... Even got one lying straight on my face. asked a question at noon on a sitrep: answer was 1
Got a meeting in the evening, in fact, answer was 0.
has been kicked out of the hospital since, don't know how far, but nobody have heard from him since. (and no, he's not buried in my backyard)

[matsuki]

Next time try handing over your DL instead of the Zairyu card. I think many just assume you don't have a DL and (like you mentioned) want a picture ID.

Have you ever been asked for a photo ID at a hospital or clinic here? I certainly haven't.

Me neither. And the health insurance card is generally accept as valid ID in itself.

Ahhh, yeah, you're righ...so Coligny, did they give a reason why?

[Coligny]

Nope, once I said no everything else went on as if they'd nevar asked...

Th3 we1rd...