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A presentation on:
Japanese Health Care - special issue of paying for health care in an increasing ageing population.
Social and economic situation
Enjoyed a strong stable economy with most people enjoying a high standard of living and good health. ...
Japan’s economy suffered a downturn in mid 1990s which shocked many and still affects confidence in the society as a whole. ...
Japan has the lowest infant mortality anywhere in the world and high life expectancy.
But Japan’s declining birthrate and ageing pop, as well as the developing service-sector economy, are creating a need to re-think the very structure of economic development and health service provision for this ageing pop.
In light of this and amidst severe restrictions on public spending, Japan has also had to consider how to make the best use of private sector in the health service.
HEALTH SYSTEM IN GENERAL
The Japanese health system as a whole involves the usual mix of private practitioners, small clinics, specialist and general hospitals, emergency care, and pharmacies.
The Japanese health care system is based on the principle that a patient should be able to freely purchase medical services from the medical institutions that are available in the private sector.
Most health care services are delivered by private practitioners in specialist or semi-specialist clinics. ... The patient’s general physician is not the his/her entry point to the health care system, and they do not need another doctor’s referral to consult a specialist.
The system of health insurance for medical services, the public health insurance system, covers the entire population.
FUNDING
The Japanese health care system is funded by public taxes paid by employers and employees, and income-based insurance premiums, with mainly private providers. Japan has universal public health insurance with coverage of a comprehensive range of services and only modest cost sharing by patients – normally around 30% of the cost of some services is paid by the patient - (elderly patients pay a lower fixed percentage of the costs directly to the medical institution visited).
65% of Japan’s population are elderly and the share of its elderly population is above the OECD average and is expected to proceed at a far greater rate than that of any of the other developed countries.
Approximate Word count = 1727
Approximate Pages = 6.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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