Under the National Health Insurance System, part of the medical expenses for those who get sick or injured along with childbirth and cremation costs will be paid for insured members.The Long-Term Medical Care System will also provide partial payment for medical care, and funeral expenses. Those who have filed their alien registration in Niigata City and do not follow under conditions <1>, <2> or <3> as stated below are required to be insured under the National Health Insurance System.

<1>Temporary visitors, such as tourists, whose visas allow them to stay in Japan less than one year.

<2>Those who are employed by private firms or a local government office and can receive medical insurance coverage under the Social Insurance Policy as well as their dependent family members in Japan.

<3>People over age 75
*Excluding those under condition<1>, people over age 75 are covered by the Long Term Medical Care System.

　Please go to the ward office and apply at the Alien Registration Counter. You will need to bring your Alien Registration Card when applying. Alternately, you may apply for National Health Insurance or Long-Term Medical Care System at the same time you do your alien registration. Your insurance certificate will be issued after all the paperwork has been processed.

　When changing your name or address and applying for or withdrawing from the national health insurance system, or the Long-Term Medical Care System, you should file a report at the Alien Registration Counter of the ward office.

　Your National Health Insurance System will cover 70% of all medical bills when you receive medical treatment, but you will be required to pay the remaining 30% yourself immediately after receiving treatment. In the same way, unless you continue to make the same income as when you were employed, the Long-Term Medical Care System will pay for 90% of your medical expenses and you will have to pay the remaining 10%. This can be done at the payment counter of the medical facility you use. There are some treatments which are not covered by National Health Insurance, such as general medical checkups, immunizations, normal infant births, orthodontic work (braces), cosmetic surgery, etc.

　When your share of the fees for medical treatment exceed a certain amount, you may file a claim to have the difference reimbursed to you at a later time. For details, please contact the Ward Residential Affairs and Services Division of the ward office.

　In order to receive the benefits of the National Health Insurance, you must present your Insurance Certificate at the medical facility.

　For the prevention of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, medical checkups and health guidance geared specifically towards the detection and treatment of metabolic syndrome are provided.

Specified Medical Checkups:

• Who is eligible: Niigata residents, who are at least 40 years old or who will turn 40 before March 31, who are enrolled in National Health Insurance.
• Evaluation based on: Medical history, health checkup, blood test, urinalysis, etc.
• Getting your medical checkup: bring your checkup card and Health Insurance Certificate to one of the designated hospitals.
• Time period: April 1 - March 31of the following year (available year-round)
• Charge: ¥1,500 for ages 40-59, free for ages 60 and above
• Specified health consultation:
  The National Health Insurance System provides discrete counseling for at-risk individuals in order to improve lifestyle choices which may lead to health complications.Free of charge.
• Those covered by the Long-Term Medical Care System can also receive the same medical checkups.

　The calculation of the National Health Insurance premium differs from family to family depending on the number of people to be insured and the household income. Also, the calculation for the payment may differ depending on the fiscal year. Those people from the age of 40 to 64 must pay the Long-Term Care Insurance costs in addition to the National Health Insurance premium. Long-Term Medical Care Health Insurance premiums differ depending on your income.

　A bill for the monthly National Health Insurance premium will be sent to you twice a year. Please pay this bill by the end of the month at a financial institution (excluding post offices), the ward office, or one of the ward office’s branch offices.

　We recommend you pay your health insurance fee by bank transfer. To register for this service, please take your bank or post office account passbook, personal seal (inkan for the passbook), if you have one, and your National Health Insurance Certificate (or the latest receipt of your premium) to the financial institution where you have your account.

　Some people will have their insurance premiums deducted from their pension.

　Ward Residential Affairs and Services Division (kumin-seikatsu-ka hokenryo-tanto) at any ward office.

　When you are injured due to the fault of another (such as injuries resulting from a traffic accident), the party at fault is liable for the cost of your medical treatment. However, in cases where receipt of compensation takes an inordinate amount of time, you may use your National Health Insurance, Long-Term Medical Care System Certificate to receive treatment. The liable party will still be responsible for your medical expenses, and will be required to repay the amount of your treatment expenses to the National Health Insurance Program. Because of these complications, you are required to notify the Ward Residential Affairs and Services Division of the ward office when you receive medical treatment under these circumstances.

　If the mother has National Health Insurance, she will receive ¥350,000 to assist with childbirth and child care expenses. You will receive an additional ¥30,000 if your baby is delivered at a hospital that is enrolled in the Japan Obstetric Compensation System. You may apply for this assistance at the Ward Residential Affairs and Services Division of the ward office when you register your baby’s birth. Note that holders of private health insurance, such as insurance provided by an employer, may apply at their company.

　When a person who has enrolled in the National Health Insurance system or the Long-Term Medical Care System dies, the person who holds the funeral will receive ¥50,000 in assistance for funeral expenses. Please apply at the Residential Affairs Division of the City Office.

　The Long-Term Care Insurance System is based on an idea of a mutually self-supporting and self-sustaining system. All of society bear the insurance costs for and support all of those people over the age of 40 who need long-term care.

　Holders of Alien Registration Cards must enroll in the Long-Term Care Insurance System if they have permanent residence status or special permanent residence status, if they are approved to stay in Japan for one or more years, or if their situation indicates that they can be expected to stay in Japan for one year or more.

　It is possible to use this Long-Term Care Insurance service if you are a person who needs continuous assistance with daily activities because you are bedridden or suffer from dementia, or you need basic support with daily activities. Those who use the Long-Term Care Insurance service are responsible for paying 10 percent of the cost while the remaining 90 percent is covered by the Long-Term Care Insurance. In order to use the service, it is necessary to apply for and be recognized as needing long-term care. For further details, please contact the Public Health and welfare Division of the ward office.