Invalidation of health insurance cards actually worsens patients’ illnesses: JCP survey

   A survey conducted by the Japanese Communist Party has revealed that many hospitals are experiencing adverse effects of the government medical policy, including changes in patients’ illnesses for the worse after their health insurance cards were invalidated.

   At a press conference in the Diet building on March 19, JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi and Policy Commission Chair Koike Akira released the result of the survey to which 724 hospitals throughout Japan responded in one month ending March 10.

   Seventy percent of respondents said that they have had patients whose health insurance cards were invalidated due to failure to pay the premiums. In 72 hospitals, illnesses of 1,027 patients became worse after their cards were forfeited.

At 45.1 percent of the hospitals, patients have had to refrain from visiting doctors due to the increase in medical costs.

   Koike said, “The increase in poverty and social disparities has brought about disparities in the right to life.”

   With respect to hardships in running hospitals, 69.1 percent of the respondents pointed to the shortage of nurses, 68.5 percent to the shortage of doctors, and 43.1 percent to the deficits (multiple answers were allowed).

    - Akahata, March 20, 2007