elderly

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Elderly people carry out sit-in to block increased burden in medical costs

On December 19, the coldest day this year, elderly people from many places carried out a sit-in in front of the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry, protesting the government plan to force elderly people to pay more for their medical costs.

The sit-in, organized by the National Federation of Local Associations of Social Welfare for Senior Citizens, was in protest of the FY 2006 budget, now being drafted, which will force people 70-74 to pay 20 percent of their medical costs, instead of the present 10 percent.

Hattori Kiyoji from Kanagawa Prefecture, 82, took part in the action, taking care to not aggravate his high blood pressure condition. He said, "I know many people who cut down on or skip taking medicine so that it lasts longer than prescribed. Some dare not tell the truth about their symptoms for fear of expenses for check-ups. How callous the government is to plan to make recipients of 20,000 yen in national pension pay more for medical services!"

Ikeda Nobue from Kagawa Prefecture, 87, was the eldest in the action. She said, "I feel that I'm paying the nursing care insurance premiums not for ourselves but for rich people." She said that she can't afford to use nursing care facilities because 5,600 yen in nursing care insurance premiums is deducted from her national pension of 70,000 yen for two months. She earnestly called for a reduction or exemption in the payment of nursing care insurance premiums and charges for using facilities.

Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Koike Akira took part in the action and encouraged the protesters.
- Akahata, December 20, 2005