Opposition spreads to heavier patient burden of medical services

The movement in opposition to the government plan to increase the burden on patients is spreading throughout Japan, regardless of a supposed political boundary between conservative and progressive.

The powerful Japan Medical Association, which used to be a major support base for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is strongly opposed to the government plan for adverse medical reform. Even the president of a prefectural medical association has used the Japanese Communist Party's daily Akahata to call for a freeze on the plan that will shift a heavier burden onto the people.

In Yamaguchi Prefecture on January 26, associations of doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists, together with the elderly, participated in a street campaign against the adverse reform.

The president of the Shimonoseki City Medical Association said, "The Koizumi Cabinet's medical policy doesn't maintain a sound health insurance scheme."

Doctors and nurses in white coats handed out flyers calling for a freeze on the plan to impose heavier medical burden on the insured, and a reduction in burden on the elderly.

Nutritionists, occupational therapists, dental hygienists, dental mechanics, acupuncturists, radiological technologists, physical therapists, clinical laboratory technologists, and midwives from each organization took part in the campaign with the doctors.

Medical associations in Saga, Gifu, Niigata, and Shimane prefectures also carried out an opinion ad in local newspapers expressing opposition to the rise in the burden on patients. (end)