No rationing, no deductibles, everything is covered

In Japan you can go to the doctor whenever you need to without worrying about the cost. When I came to Japan it took me several years to become accustomed to this. For several years before I came to Japan I was under insured. My insurance was as comprehensive as American insurance policies get. However in order to make it affordable I had a very high deductible. This meant that I always had to pay out of pocket and I developed the habit of self rationing health care. Often I would suffer though things like allergies or sinus infections without going to the doctor. After coming to Japan gradually I realized that I do not have to do this. The co-payment for a doctor's visit is less than $10 and for a prescription it is rarely more than $10. Now I go to the doctor when symptoms first appear. I suffer less and almost never miss work.

My medical insurance in the states cost $180 a month for just me and never paid out a cent. The only time the company paid out was when I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle, and even then, they recovered what they paid when I settled with the motorist's auto insurance. But that did not stop them from rationing my care. They would not pay for all the physical therapy my doctor prescribed, so I was not able to receive all of it.

In Japan we don't have this kind of problem. There is no rationing, there are no deductibles, and everything is covered. You don't have to wait in line for an appointment or get a referral for a specialist. Your doctor does not have to get authorization from an insurance company to treat you. If you want a second opinion you just go get one as my wife did when she needed one. And the cost? My wife and I pay about $240 a month for the two of us and this will not increase when we have children. It will change if our income changes but then we will be able to afford it. I'm very happy with this system.

Michael Rector
Nagoya, Japan
California