Medical associations jointly oppose government plan to increase people's payments in medical costs

Four medical associations on December 11 published a joint statement calling for a freeze on the government plan to increase medical expenses of company employees under health insurance plans from ten percent at present to 30 percent.

They are the Japan Medical Association, the Japanese Nursing Association, the Japan Dental Association, and the Japan Pharmaceutical Association. They have about 830,000 members in total.

The ruling coalition government adversely revised the medical insurance system so that from October, medical expenses of elderly people have increased. Many hospitals and clinics have reported that elderly patients hesitate to get the necessary treatment and medicine.

Medical workers are worried that the medical expense increase of 30 percent could threaten the universal health insurance coverage system in Japan.

The common requests of the four associations include cuts in the medical expenses of elderly people and a ban on the entry of profit-seeking companies into the health care field.

The four organizations in the statement said that they will develop a joint movement with the public to ensure that every citizen can obtain quality medical care, free from worries about money. (end)