Nursing-care Insurance System
The nursing-care insurance System is a program in which the society supports the elderly to lead independent lives even when they may need certain types of nursing care. The program is provided by municipalities and requires coverage for everyone that is 65 years or older as well as for those who are between 40 and 64 and subscribe to either social or national health insurance programs. The insurants who have been designated by the municipality as being in need of nursing care will be covered by this insurance for receiving nursing-care services. Even if you do not have Japanese nationality, you are required to join the program if you are a registered foreigner and plan to stay in Japan for more than a year.
Details of the Nursing-care Insurance System
- Premiums
Age 65 or over: Premiums vary both by municipality and by the insurant’s income
Age between 40 and 64: Like in the case of a medical insurance program you subscribe to such as National and Social Insurance, premiums will automatically be collected by way of deducting from the insurant’s salary and bonus. As for itemized breakdown of premiums, ask either the person in charge at your place of employment or municipality.
- Coverage of nursing-care services
The insurance generally covers 90% of the cost for nursing-care services received, with the recipient required to pay the remaining 10%.
- Nursing-care services
wo different types of services are available: in-home services, in which home helpers or welfare caregivers visit the care recipient at home and provide care; and facility services, in which care recipients go to a nursing-care insurance facility to receive care.
In-home services: The services include nursing care visits, care at a facility, short-term facility stays, lease of welfare equipment, subsidy for purchasing welfare equipment or remodeling homes to make it easier for the elderly to move around in the house.
Facility Services: Nursing-care services are provided at nursing care facilities while medical facilities provide nursing and treatment services for the elderly who stay in these facilities.
- How to obtain a "Certification of Long-Term Care Need"
To receive these services, you need to be designated by the section in charge of nursing care insurance of your municipality as being in need of the services. Depending on their conditions, the elderly will be designated either as requiring certain levels of support or requiring nursing-care services at one of the five levels. The specific designation will determine the maximum amount of allowance you will be granted.
For more information, contact the person in charge of social insurance at your place of employment or nursing-care insurance section of your municipality.
(Effective January 2010)
