We here in Japan are more fortunate than some countries around the world in that we have what\u2019s called the NHI: The National Health Insurance Scheme. Unlike the famous NHS, you do still have to pay for medical services in Japan– but it\u2019s far less than places like the US. Enrolling in the NHI is mandatory for all residents of Japan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Photo from Unsplash by Marcelo Leal<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n Of course, everything depends on what sort of treatment you are looking for; however, the first visit to a clinic will always be the most expensive. Though you still will only pay up to 30% of the full cost. Therefore, the most common first consultation fee at your local Japanese clinic will generally be between 3 to \u00a55,000, with follow-up visits costing from 600-\u00a51000.\u00a0 English-speaking clinics with mainly foreign clientele are often higher and can range up to \u00a510,000 for the first time, even with your NHI card.<\/span><\/p>\n Note that you will pay initial consultation fees every time you visit a new doctor, so if you\u2019re in Japan for the long haul, try to shop around a bit for a doctor that you\u2019ll be happy with, so you aren\u2019t paying the initial fees over and over again. Almost all English-speaking clinics have a website, so checking whether or not they take NHI before you even get to the doctor can save you time and money.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Other related articles<\/p>\n Photo from Photo AC by \u304d\u306a\u3053\u3082\u3061\u3055\u3093<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n Without NHI, your costs can skyrocket, and you can expect between \u00a510,000 to \u00a550,000 in upfront costs. It is important to reiterate that technically, enrolling in the NHI is mandatory for all residents in Japan, except for special diplomatic visas. If you\u2019re only here for a short time on the company\u2019s dime, ask your HR or local liaison about what your options are– they may be paying for your insurance. Travel insurance may also be a great option, as Japan generally ranks low on the risk factor and it can be far more.<\/span><\/p>\n Some clinics and hospitals may charge the same first-time fee regardless of if you have health insurance or not. For example, St. Luke\u2019s Hospital advertises on their website that the fee is 5,400 yen without clarifying if this with or without insurance, so one can assume that it is a flat fee either way.<\/span><\/p>\n Most clinics will only be able to tell you the total charges after you see a doctor and are diagnosed. Just be sure to ask for the cost of any tests before agreeing to even have blood taken as there will be an additional charge for anything besides just talking with your doctor. Generally, they can tell you over the phone what the consultation fees will be.<\/span><\/p>\n The following is what Tokyo Midtown Medical Clinic charges (based on price list available in their clinic).<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, nothing is set in stone, and though it may seem confusing, it\u2019s best to keep a few rules of thumb in mind when it comes to healthcare in Japan:<\/span><\/p>\n Remember– your health is your top priority, and just a little research can go a long way!<\/span><\/p>\n Odaji ni! (Take care of yourself!)<\/span><\/p>\n So, what do you think about our article? For more articles follow us at\u00a0Expat Japan Life<\/a>! You can also follow us on\u00a0Fac<\/a>ebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, and\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0for blog updates and information about living in Tokyo!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ***This article has been updated on December 2019*** Being sick in a foreign country is one of the most unpleasant universal experiences for expats. Besides feeling ill, it can be…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":8316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[131,139],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-everyday-living","category-medical-care"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8312"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10368,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8312\/revisions\/10368"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/07\/marcelo-leal-k7ll1hpdhFA-unsplash.jpg\")
General Costs for the Insured<\/b><\/h2>\n
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![\"Cost](\"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/07\/b24ad6f6e521b030d26cf6bc127c9096_m.jpg\")
General Costs for the UNinsured<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/expat.metroresidences.com\/jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/05\/image2-645x1024.jpeg\")
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