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Parties agree to 2003 medical fee increase
The Asahi Shimbun, February 12, 2002
But the LDP's secretary-general suggests resistance within the party must be overcome before a bill can go to the Diet.
The government and the ruling coalition parties formally agreed Monday on April 1, 2003, as the date the health care burden shouldered by salaried workers will be raised to 30 percent of medical fees. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had stood fast on his insistence the plan take effect no later.
Taku Yamasaki, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, however, suggested his party still had to reach a consensus on the matter before the Cabinet could go ahead and submit a medical system reform bill to the Diet. The government wants to do so around Feb. 20.
Representatives of the three parties also decided at their meeting Monday that the bill would include a reduction in patient contributions to the cost of prescription drugs. Patients currently pay between 30 and 150 yen per day toward the cost of their medicine.
In addition, they agreed to include in the bill an increase in premiums for the government-run health insurance program, to 8.2 percent from the current 7.5 percent of annual income.
The limit of medical bills paid by salaried employees is to be increased, although low-income earners will be exempt from the hike.
For an average salaried employee, the ceiling of medical bills will increase to 72,300($540) yen from the current 63,600($470) yen a month. For those with a monthly income in excess of 560,000($4,210) yen, that limit will be raised to 139,800($1,050) from 121,800 yen per month.
Patients over 70 will pay 10 percent of medical costs, or 20 percent if their income is above a certain minimum level.
It is expected about 10 percent of those over 70 will fall into this latter category, which is to include households with an annual income greater than 6.3 million yen.
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