National Health Insurance Act

The National Health Insurance Act (Act No. 60 of 1938) is revised in its entirety.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure the sound administration of national health insurance services, thereby contributing to the improvement of social security and the health of the people.

National health insurance programs shall pay the necessary insurance benefits in relation to an insured persons' illness, injury, childbirth or death.

A prefecture is to provide national health insurance, together with the Municipalities (including special wards; the same applies hereinafter) within that prefecture, pursuant to the provisions of this Act.

National health insurance societies may provide a national health insurance program pursuant to the provisions of this Act.

The national government is to take various necessary measures so that national health insurance services are administered soundly and, in order to contribute to the achievement of the purpose prescribed in Article 1, is to actively promote measures concerning health, medical care and welfare and other related measures.

A prefecture is to play a central role in stable financial management, ensuring the efficient implementation of national health insurance services by Municipalities, and otherwise in the sound administration of the national health insurance services of the prefecture and of the Municipalities within that prefecture.

A Municipality is to appropriately implement national health insurance services, including matters concerning the acquisition and loss of eligibility as an insured person, the collection of national health insurance premiums (including national health insurance tax under the Local Tax Act (Act No. 226 of 1950); the same applies in Article 11, paragraph (2), Article 54-3, paragraphs (1), (2) and (5), Article 63-2, Article 81-2, paragraph (1), each item, and paragraph (11), items (ii) and (iii), and Article 82-2, paragraph (2), items (ii) and (iii), and paragraph (6)), and the implementation of health services.

In order to fulfill the responsibilities under the preceding two paragraphs, prefectures and Municipalities are to seek organic coordination with measures concerning health and medical services and welfare services and other related measures.

In addition to what is prescribed in paragraph (2) and the preceding paragraph, a prefecture is to provide necessary guidance and advice to National Health Insurance Societies and other persons involved, so that the administration of national health insurance services is carried out appropriately and smoothly.