Act on Assurance of Medical Care for Elderly People

in light of the implementation of projects based on the regional medical care plan vision of each prefecture (meaning the regional medical care planvision prescribed in Article 30-430-3-3, paragraph (1) of the Medical Care Act; the same applies hereinafter) and the medical care plan (meaning the medical care plan prescribed in Article 30-4, paragraph (1) of each prefecturethe same Act; the same applies hereinafter), matters concerning the results of the promotion of the differentiation and coordination of the bed medical institution functions (meaning the bed medical institution functions prescribed in Article 30-3, paragraph (2), item (vi) of the same Act; the same applies hereinafter) and the bed functions (meaning the bed functions prescribed in item (vii) of the same paragraph; the same applies hereinafter) expected during the period of the plan;

In specifying the particulars set forth in items (i) through (iii) of the preceding paragraph, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is to pay attention to the significance of promoting the differentiation and coordination of medical institution functions and bed functions, securing the family doctor function prescribed in Article 6-3, paragraph (1) of the Medical Care Act (referred to as the "family doctor function" in paragraph (4) of the following Article), efforts towards the establishment of the community-based integrated care system prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (1) of the Act on Promotion of Comprehensive Securing of Medical and Long-Term Care in Communities (Act No. 64 of 1989) (referred to as the "community-based integrated care system" in paragraph (4) of the following Article), and the effective and efficient provision of medical care and nursing care in light of the physical, mental and social characteristics of the citizens as they age.

particulars concerning the results of the promotion of the differentiation and coordination of the medical institution functions and bed functions expected during the period of the plan, based on the implementation of the projectprojects under the regional medical care vision and medical care plan of the relevant prefecture;

In specifying the particulars set forth in paragraph (2), items (i) and (ii) and item (i) of the preceding paragraph, the prefecture is to pay attention to the importance of promoting the differentiation and coordination of the medical institution functions and bed functions in the region, securing the family doctor function, efforts towards the construction of a community-based integrated care system, and the effective and efficient provision of medical care and nursing care in light of the physical, mental and social characteristics of residents as they age.

A prefectural plan for regulating the optimization of medical expenses must be in harmony with the regional medical care vision, the medical care plan, the prefectural insured long-term care services plan as prescribed in Article 118, paragraph (1), of the Long-Term Care Insurance Act, and the prefectural health promotion plan as prescribed in Article 8, paragraph (1) of the Health Promotion Act.

The Association of Medical Care Systems for the Elderly Aged 75 and older, when entrusting the affairs listed in the items of the preceding paragraph pursuant to the provisions of the same paragraph, is to entrust them jointly with other Associations of Medical Care Systems for the Elderly Aged 75 and older and Insurers, persons specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare who provide conduct affairs pertaining to benefits related to medical care or conduct other affairs pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations, and municipalities that operate long-term care insurance pursuant to the provisions of Article 3 of the Long-Term Care Insurance Act and other persons specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.