Japan's Welfare Ministry has decided to allow the My Number card to be used in place of the country’s national health insurance card from fiscal 2020 in a bid to boost uptake.
According to Japan Times, the Ministry hopes the measure will increase adoption for the identity cards, which are part of the national numbering system used for social security and tax purposes. The cards, which carry citizens’ names, date of birth, sex, address and other information, are currently employed by only about 10% of the population.
To make it possible for medical institutions to read insurance-related data from a My Number card, the Welfare Ministry plans to establish a link between the My Number system and organisations working for the National Health Insurance scheme. This includes Health Insurance Claims Review & Reimbursement Services, a body that screens reimbursement requests for medical fees.
For those people between 40 and 74 who already use My Number as their health insurance card, the results of metabolic syndrome check-ups will now be displayed on a dedicated website.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
Japan's Welfare Ministry has decided to allow the My Number card to be used in place of the country’s national health insurance card from fiscal 2020 in a bid to boost uptake.
According to Japan Times, the Ministry hopes the measure will increase adoption for the identity cards, which are part of the national numbering system used for social security and tax purposes. The cards, which carry citizens’ names, date of birth, sex, address and other information, are currently employed by only about 10% of the population.
To make it possible for medical institutions to read insurance-related data from a My Number card, the Welfare Ministry plans to establish a link between the My Number system and organisations working for the National Health Insurance scheme. This includes Health Insurance Claims Review & Reimbursement Services, a body that screens reimbursement requests for medical fees.
For those people between 40 and 74 who already use My Number as their health insurance card, the results of metabolic syndrome check-ups will now be displayed on a dedicated website.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
