33 people died from delay in seeking medical care

Japan Press Weekly

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

33 people died from delay in seeking medical care

At least 33 people died last year possibly from not going to see a doctor because their national insurance cards were invalidated.

A survey the Japan Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions (Min-iren) published on March 11 shows that 80 percent of those who died due to not seeking medical attention in time were in their 50s and 60s and that most of them had no regular jobs or were unemployed.

About 4.5 million families are now said to be unable to afford to pay the national healthcare insurance premiums. Those who died without proper medical attention may have put off going to a hospital for financial reasons.

A 39-year-old uninsured man in Nagano Prefecture had been aware of his deteriorating health condition for two months before he finally went to the hospital. Seven months later he died of lung cancer. He used to say, “Because I don’t have my insurance card, I can’t go to the hospital. I know there are many people like me.”

A 61-year-old man in Chiba Prefecture became unemployed in his 50s. He was blind from cataract but he was reluctant to seek medical attention because he did not have his insurance card. He died of tongue cancer four months after he finally sought medical attention.

Min-iren Secretary General Nagase Fumio stated, “High insurance premiums and an increase in medical expenses are threatening the universal healthcare coverage system. There are a considerable number of people who are left uninsured and thus unprotected.”

- Akahata, March 12, 2010