Supporting Students

Health and Insurance

National Health Insurance

There is no guarantee when you may fall sick or get injured. It will be problematic if you do not have enough money to seek medical consultation, especially in a high medical-cost society like Japan.

For members of the National Health Insurance scheme, they pay subscription fees according to their income, and in return, the scheme will help to pay for any incurred medical costs for treatment of illness or injuries etc. Foreigners who will be staying in Japan for more than a year have to register themselves under the National Health Insurance.

Note that the scheme does not cover all kinds of medical procedures like health examinations, orthodontics, expensive dentures and childbirth.

Registry Procedure
Apply at the local office (Citizen Division, Ikoma City Office for the individuals living in Ikoma City) according to the area you live. You need to bring along your valid visa (one year or more) and a valid Alien Registration Card. You can get your National Health Insurance Certificate (hokenshou) after completing the registration. Most people will normally register for National Health Insurance at the same time when they are registering their addresses or change-of-address with the city office.
Insurance Fee
After registration, you will need to pay a monthly fee. The fee depends on your income and the city you live in. International students can get a discount when you report that you are not making any income during the registration.

Contents of the payment

Individual-coverage

for medical care

(outpatient)

When you show your National Health Insurance Certificate at hospital, your cost will be 30% of the total medical cost plus the cost of medicine.

Payment for expensive

medical care

If you visit the same hospital about the same medical problem within the same month, you are entitled to a payment cap of 80,100 yen (35,400 yen for municipal non-taxed citizens). Any costs that run above the caps amount will be covered by the insurance, however, your receipts will be required for reimbursement. So remember to keep them.

For details, please consult the municipal office.

Medical Expenses Reimbursement System for International Students

With this system, a part of the medical expenses paid by international students at Japanese medical institutions for treatment of sickness or injuries is subsidized by the Japan Student Services Organization, an independent administrative institution. This is only available to students who are enrolled in educational institutions such as universities, and have the “College Student” status. Family members are not covered.

When you go to a hospital, 70 percent of your medical bill is covered by the National Health Insurance system. The National Health Insurance subsidization has already been deducted from your medical bill, i.e. you only pay 30 percent of the cost at any medical institution. Whenever you visit a medical institution, please ensure you take your National Health Insurance card with you. Also, a percentage of the medical bills you have paid can be reimbursed by filing an application for Medical Fee Reimbursement for International Student, offered by JASSO, at the Students Affairs Division, with your medical bill receipts. The reimbursement rate is 35% of the medical bills paid (30% of the actual costs of health insurance treatment) for international students. Reimbursement will take approximately 3 months after the application.

The following documents must accompany your application:

Medical bill receipts (Please submit your bills for each month. Receipts are valid for 10 months after the date of issue.)
National Health Insurance Card

Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing

When students (including non-regular students) are injured during the course of their studies, extra-curriculum activities in and outside campus, they can seek damage compensation from the insurance. The amount of compensation will depend on the degree of damages or injuries, however the limit is 20 million-yen. The following table gives a breakdown of the insurance fee.

1 year	2 years	3 years	4 years	5 years	6 years
1,200yen	2,100yen	3,050yen	3,900yen	4,700yen	5,400yen

Ask and apply: Student and International Student Section, Student Affairs Division (extension 5909)

Optional Education and Research

When students (including non-regular students) injure others or other’s in property during the course of their studies, extra-curriculum activities in and outside campus, damages claimed by lam is covered by this insurance.
For details, please contact to Student and International Student Section, Student Affairs Division.

Getting Check-up at Hospital

When you go to the hospital, you need to bring along some money and your National Health Insurance Certificate. Consultation hours vary depending on the hospital, but most of the big hospitals are open in the morning on weekdays and closed on both weekends and national holidays. Please phone and check the consultation hours beforehand. Some hospitals are open for consultation on weekday afternoons, at night and on Saturdays.

There is no reservation for medical appointment, except for dentist, so you have to queue up for consultations. Most of the larger general hospitals are well equipped with the largest medical.