Japan Press Weekly

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2013 June 26 - July 2 [GREAT EAST JAPAN DISASTER]

3.11 disaster victims in Miyagi reduce doctor visits

Victims of the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami living in temporary housing in Miyagi Prefecture have reduced the use of medical services since the prefecture terminated a medical fee exemption program for the victims, a survey showed.

After April 1 in Miyagi, the 3.11 disaster victims covered by the National Health Insurance program or by the health insurance program for people aged 75 and older have to pay 30% of the medical costs because the prefectural government stopped providing them with financial support with the abolition of the state’s free medical fee program for victims. Around 250,000 people are affected by this change in policy.

The Miyagi Medical Practitioners Association on June 27 published a report based on data collected from around 700 households living in temporary housing units in the prefecture.

According to the survey result, while 56.7% of the respondents said they are making use of medical services the same as before, 26.7% said that they reduced the number of their visits to hospitals, 6.7% answered that they reduced the number of hospital departments they visited, and 10% gave up going to hospitals altogether. In total, over 40% of the respondents reduced their use of medical services.

Of those who reduced medical care use, 93.7% said that they did so because medical fees are now charged, and 93.3% of all respondents wanted the medical fee exemption program to be resumed.

Commenting on the survey results the association stated, “The national government should restart the free medical care program for disaster victims. Prefectures and municipalities should also take appropriate measures to address this issue.”


Related past article
> Medical groups in the 3.11-affected region seek continuation of medical fee exemption [February 15, 2013]