medical

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP calls for popular action to stop assault on universal medical insurance system

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a news conference on February 23 published an appeal calling on organizations and individuals to unite in rejecting the government plan for a major adverse revision of the medical insurance system.

The appeal reveals that the government is trying to undermine, in the name of "reform," the universal medical insurance system by which necessary medical treatment is guaranteed to anyone insured.

Under the government plan, out-patients will have to pay more at the hospital and pay still more for medical insurance premiums. In particular, elderly people and those seriously ill will have to endure the hardest burdens. What is worse, the government is going to narrow the coverage to which the medical insurance is applicable.

In order to guarantee reliable medical services to all people, the JCP has proposed cuts in payments at the hospital, enlarged application of medical insurances, and restoration of the reduced government share in the cost of medical insurance.

Shii criticized the government bill for recognizing the "mixed" form of insured and non-insured medical services. He said that it will "bring in the law of the 'structural reform' jungle into medical services, under which only the rich who can pay more for medical expenses is allowed to live longer." He also pointed out that behind this government move lies the requests of the Japanese and U.S. business circles looking for new opportunities for profits in medical services.
- Akahata, February 24, 2006