Japan Focus: Multiple Crises in Healthcare

Japan Focus: Discusses a new system trying to address problems of the elderly that may not work out that well...

"The problems with the new system are not limited to its economic burden. The payment schedule for medical treatment is independent of other insurance programs, and it is on a fixed-cost, blanket system. The allowable expense per month is set in advance for each disease. If necessary exams and treatment are cut off because of these limits, it is a de facto restriction of medical care. This is nothing short of the government delivering a death sentence, telling the elderly to die quickly. Will Nakata and Mr. and Mrs. A be able to survive this new system?"

Other topics discussed include:

Stripping the Long-Term Care Beds
The State of Home Healthcare
Physician Shortage Causing Regional Healthcare Collapse
Obstetrics Units Closing throughout Japan
Towns Rocked by “Medical Depopulation"

"There are about 270,000 practicing physicians in Japan, or 2.0 per one thousand population. The OECD average is 3.1, and Japan ranks 27th out of the 30 member countries. Japan has the lowest ratio among the G7 industrialized economies (the US stands at 2.4, Germany and France at 3.4). To reach the OECD average, Japan would need to add some 140,000 doctors."

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