Health Insurance System

Elderly Healthcare System (Subsidies/Payments)

The Western Digital Technologies Health Insurance Association allocates health insurance premiums paid by employers and insured persons to the payment of medical expenses, the healthcare business and other healthcare expenses, as well as its operations as a health insurance association. In addition, these premiums are also used as subsidies and payments to support the medical expenses of elderly throughout Japan.
The aging of association and the advancement of medical technology have resulted in annual increases in the elderly medical expenses. These medical care costs currently constitute about 60% of all medical care expenses nationwide, increasing the annual subsidies and other payments to support those costs as well.

Individuals age 65 to 74: Early-stage elderly

Individuals age 65 to 74 are considered early-stage elderly, but benefits and other aspects of the health insurance coverage remain the same. The Western Digital Technologies Health Insurance Association contributes to the payments for early-stage elderly individuals.

Medical insurance
Health Insurance
National Health Insurance
National Health Insurance (Early-stage elderly healthcare syetem)
Latter-stage elderly healthcare system
Out-of-pocket
30%
20%
10%(20% ※)
(30% for incomes earners comparable to individuals in active service)
※Those who are insured at 20% of the cost are those who are insured at the same level as the working-age population and whose taxable income is 280,000 yen or more and whose annual income is 2,000,000 yen or more. (In the case of multiple households, the total annual income of the latter-aged persons is at least 3.2 million yen.)

Individuals Age 70

An “elderly beneficiary” refers to an insured person or dependent age 70 to 74. The Western Digital Technologies Health Insurance Association issues an Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card separate from the regular health insurance card to elderly beneficiaries. This card acts as a certificate to verify the percentage of out-of-pocket costs at the billing counter of the healthcare provider. It indicates a percentage between 20% and 30% based on income.
Insured persons must present both the regular health insurance card and the Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card to the healthcare provider when undergoing an examination or treatment by the healthcare provider.

Issuance of Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Cards

Requirements

  • The insured person or dependent has turned 70 years old
  • The individual age 70 or older has been certified as a dependent
  • The individual age 70 or older has been certified as a dependent when acquiring eligibility for this health insurance
  • The out-of-pocket percentage on the Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card has changed

Applicable Month (Date to Start Use)

  • The first day of the month after the month in which the individual turns 70 (the birthday of the individual if the birthday falls on the first day of the month)
  • The day on which an individual age 70 or older has been certified as a dependent

Notes

  1. Insured persons need to present an Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card with a regular insurance card at hospitals and other healthcare providers. Please do not store these cards separately.
  2. An insured person is considered an income earner comparable to individuals in active service and will pay 30% of the medical costs at the billing counter if he/she has forgotten the Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card. Please make sure not to lose or forget to bring this card to the healthcare provider because adjustments cannot be made without it.
  3. Promptly return the Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card when it expires.
    The insured person must return the Elderly Beneficiary Health Insurance Card with the regular health insurance card if the individual retires before the card expires, or if a family member who is an elderly beneficiary is removed as a dependent for health insurance purposes.

Individual Age 75

Individuals lose eligibility as an insured person (dependent) of the Western Digital Technologies Health Insurance Association on their 75th birthday and need to enroll in the latter-stage elderly healthcare system on that same day. The Western Digital Technologies Health Insurance Association contacts applicable insured persons in the month before their birthday. Details regarding the filing procedures will be provided at that time.

Eligible candidates All individuals age 75 or older (age 65 or older in the case of individuals with certain disabilities)
*If an insured person age 75 or older has dependents that are under age 75, they will lose eligibility as dependents when the insured persons switches to the latter-stage elderly healthcare system. Please note that the individual must complete procedures to enroll in National Health Insurance in such cases.
Insurer The regional union in which your local municipality has enrolled
*The municipality will handle all liaison work, such as the various types of application, notifications.
Insurance premium Insurance premiums are determined in accordance with the income of each individual. As a general rule, insurance premiums are withheld from annual pensions.
*Each individual is an insured person under the latter-stage elderly healthcare system. Individuals who were dependents in the Western Digital Technologies Health Insurance Association also become insured persons under the latter-stage elderly healthcare system when turning 75 and will pay those insurance premiums (however, there are measures in place to mitigate these costs).
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