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Geriatric Medical Care Plans

1 Early-Stage Geriatric Medical Care Plan

Individuals 65 or older and younger than 75 will enrol in the “early-stage geriatric medical care plan while they remain enroling in the health insurance to which they have belonged This system aims to adjust the inequality in financial burden borne by different system (Mutual Aid Association, various health insurances, and the National Health Insurance) because the uneven enrolment distribution exists among insurance systems in this age group. The reallocation of the funding for benefit payments is made in accordance with the enrolment number.
The copayment ratio for both the member and his/her dependents is 30%, same as before, for individuals younger than 70, and 20% for individuals 70 to 74 (30% for those who earn an income equivalent to that of active workers). However, the 20% copayment ratio is currently reduced to 10% until March 2014.


2 Late-Stage Geriatric Medical Care Plan

The “late-stage geriatric medical care plan” was launched on April 1, 2008. Starting at age 75, individuals who reside within the region administered by a greater area alliance (of insurers), in place in every prefecture in Japan, become the insured of the late-stage geriatric medical care plan administered by that alliance.
For this reason, members 75 or older become ineligible for the short-term benefits (except for the childcare leave benefit and the nursing care leave benefit) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid Association, and become insured under the late-stage geriatric medical care plan.
Because members become ineligible for short-term benefits at 75, their dependents also become ineligible for short-term benefits, resulting in the need to enroll in the National Health Insurance.
When dependents reach the age of 75, they become insured under the late-stage geriatric medical care plan, similar to the members.

  Note 1: Coverage of the late-stage geriatric medical care plan starts on the 75th birthday.
  Note 2: Once insured by the late-stage geriatric medical care plan, they become ineligible for the short-term benefits of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid Association. They are no longer able to receive medical treatment at healthcare organizations using their membership cards of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid Association.