Japan forces uninsured verification for medical cover

Expired conventional cards will no longer be accepted under the temporary measure from August.

Beginning in August, insured medical treatment in Japan will only be available to patients with a My Number card registered for health insurance or a special certificate.

Japan’s grace period for the use of expired conventional health insurance cards will end on 31 July, after which patients whose insurance eligibility cannot be confirmed may be required to pay the full cost of medical treatment upfront, reported the Japan Times.

Under the usual system, patients pay a copayment based on factors including their age and income.

People who have registered their My Number cards for use as health insurance cards should present the card or a smartphone with My Number card functions enabled when visiting medical institutions or buying prescription medicines.

Those who have not registered their My Number cards must present a shikaku kakuninsho, or eligibility confirmation document, issued by their employer or health insurance provider.

Japan stopped issuing conventional health insurance cards in December 2024 as it shifted to the 

My Number health insurance system. Existing cards remained valid until December 2025, but the government introduced a temporary measure allowing medical institutions to accept expired cards if a patient’s insurance eligibility could be confirmed through other means.

The health ministry has said it will not extend the measure. On 1 July, it issued an administrative notice asking medical institutions and drug stores to inform the public that the grace period would end.

My Number cards can be registered for health insurance use through card readers at medical institutions, the Mynaportal website or app, and Seven Bank ATMs.

The government introduced the My Number system to digitise public services and reduce administrative procedures. 

It says linking health insurance information to the cards can reduce paperwork and, with a patient’s consent, allow doctors and pharmacists to access information on prescriptions, health screenings and treatment.

The system can also allow patients receiving expensive treatment to avoid paying the full cost upfront before seeking reimbursement.

As of the end of June, 103.9 million people in Japan had a My Number card, equivalent to 83.4% of the population, according to the internal affairs ministry. 

My Number cards registered for health insurance use accounted for 68.15% of all medical claims in April, according to the health ministry.