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Senior Citizens' Congress presses new government to abolish discriminatory health insurance system The 23rd Japan Senior Citizens' Congress was held on September 14-15 in Beppu City under the slogan, "Let us build solidarity in towns and villages to leave no elderly person isolated." About 2,000 participants took part in workshops discussing ways to increase the movement demanding the abolition of the discriminatory health insurance system for the elderly aged 75 and older and the call for a far-reaching improvement in the nursing insurance system. They confirmed the importance of pressing the new government to implement these demands. In the keynote report, Yamada Eisaku, the chairman of the organizing committee, called for increasing support for the movement by the elderly which contributed to forcing the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komei Party out of power. In the discussions, many speakers emphasized the need to build up people power to press the Democratic Party to implement its promise to abolish the health insurance system that eliminates the elderly aged 75 and over from the general insurance program. A 72-year-old man from Miyazaki City said, "I have participated in the signature collection campaign demanding the abolition of the discriminatory health insurance system for the elderly. We now have an opportunity to realize this demand. I also call for free medical services for the elderly." A woman who works at a day care center in Hamamatsu City said, "I have realized how important it is for the baby boomers (in their early 60s) to be interested in the issue of the nursing-care insurance system. I will work to find ways to improve care workers' working conditions without increases in the nursing insurance premiums, in a way that will also benefit care receivers and their families. - Akahata, September 15 & 16, 2009 |
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