1) National Health Care

Transcription

1 1) National Health Care Overview Premium & Treatment Paperwork for, and notification of entry into the National Health Insurance plan What should you do with your insurance card when it is time to go home? Assistance for Enrollment into the National Health Insurance plan. Medical Fee Reimbursement for International Students 1) Overview: The National Health Insurance (NHI) is a governmental insurance scheme designed to reduce the burden of medical costs for the general population. All international students are strongly urged to enter the scheme. Please note that the NHI is valid only within Japan. Students intending to travel overseas during the program are advised to purchase international travel/health insurance for the period of their trip. Students who have already purchased international health insurance in their home countries are strongly advised to also enter the NHI. Without the NHI, you will be required to pay in full all treatment/hospitalization costs incurred in Japan (which can be very expensive!). Note: It is required by the National Health Insurance Regulation Law that all international students residing in Japan for over one year be enrolled in the National Health Insurance coverage. You may not withdraw from this program at your own discretion. 2) Premium & Treatment If you submit your health insurance certificate to the medical facility that treated your injury or illness, you will end up paying 30% of the billable amount that was determined by the national health insurance law, whereas 70% of the bill will be paid by national health insurance. Note: In Japan, it is possible to borrow money using insurance cards as a document of identification. If you lose or misplace your card, please report it immediately to the nearest police station before applying at the ward office for a new one. 3) Paperwork for, and notification of entry into the National Health Insurance plan. a. Please go to your local ward office s pension ( ) or health insurance ( ) department with your alien registration certificate () or certificate on registered matters ( ).

2 b. Because you will qualify for national health insurance the moment your alien registration application is accepted at the city hall or ward office, please fill out the health insurance paperwork together with your alien registration. In the case that you re not immediately enrolled after your alien registration process, insurance fees will be collected from the time of your registration onwards. c. If you were studying in Japan before you enrolled in a Japanese university, please fill out the paperwork for your national health insurance at the same time as you make any changes (e.g. address) to your alien registration as you cannot use the health insurance form delivered from the city hall or ward office nearest to your previous residence. d. It is necessary for you to personally delivery any paperwork to the pension or health insurance departments of the city hall or ward office in the following cases -If your address or name changes, please present this information within 14 days. -If you graduate, take a leave of absence from school, or complete your program, then you must present this information before you leave the country. Note: In the event that you are away from Japan and your papers are late getting to the city hall or ward office, you will not be able to receive your new health insurance forms, and will have to pay insurance fees for the time you are away. 4) What should you do with your insurance card when it is time to go home? All students should return their NHI card to the ward office at the end of the program before returning to their home countries to avoid getting over-charged. 5) Assistance for Enrollment into the National Health Insurance plan. At Ritsumeikan University as well as in the city of Kyoto, those international students studying under their own expenses can make use of a system that lightens the financial burden of insurance fees. Note: To receive such assistance, a yearly application is required. a) Ritsumeikan University Parents Association for Student Educational Assistance -Eligible students: Undergraduates enrolled in the Parents Association (not for

3 graduate students) -Content: Have a portion of your insurance fees paid (5,000 yen per semester) -Application period: April for first semester, October for second semester (tentative). b) City of Kyoto Assistance for International Students Paying National Health Insurance Fees -Eligible students: self-financed students living in Kyoto under the resident status of international student. -Content: Insurance fee rebate (700 yen/month) -Application period: April for first semester, October for second semester (tentative) *Note: The Kyoto Chuo Shinyou Ginkou (bank) is the only financial institution involved with this program. Thus in order to receive this rebate, please open up an account at this bank. *Note: The above rebate program and its contents are subject to change. *Note: Please check the message boards of the international center and professional school office for information and methods of application. This is an assistance scheme operated by the government of Kyoto to refund part of the 18,000yen premium international students have to pay for the NHI. You will be refunded approximately 12,000yen in two installments of 6,000yen each. Assistance application procedures will be explained in detail during the Orientation.

4 2) In the event of Theft, Injury, or Illness. Loss of Property/Violence Serious illnesses/injury Traffic accidents 1) Loss of property, and Violence/Assault Please call #110 in the event of a theft of your personal belongings, or injury inflicted upon you by another individual. Moreover, if something is missing either through theft or loss, please submit a robbery report or report of a lost article to the nearest police post. Note: In the event of a lost passport, you can get the consulate to issue you a new one, but a lost article report at the police station is also necessary. Once any emergency measures have been taken care of, please report to the international center, or your departmental / research / student office. In addition, it should be mentioned that theft has been on the rise within the school, and thieves only need an instant when your attention is away from your personal belongings to carry out a theft. It is your responsibility to properly protect all personal belongings from theft even at school, especially such frequently unguarded items as your bicycle (e.g. make sure you have and use a bike lock everyday). 2) Serious illnesses / Injury In the event of a sudden illness or injury, if you cannot do it by yourself, have someone near you call #119 and explain the situation so that you can be helped. Once the situation is taken care of, please contact the international center or department/student/graduate school office when able. 3) Traffic Accidents To prevent traffic accidents not only on your commute to school, but in your everyday life, take care to pay very careful attention to what s going on around you when commuting. Because there are cases where a student may not

5 continue their studies if they become the person at fault in an accident, having suitable and sufficient insurance is very important. Receiving Treatment If the accident is serious, call #119 to receive emergency response. Even if there is little pain at the time of the accident, there may hidden injuries that grow worse with time (eg. Whiplash). Thus, in this situation it is recommended that you take a medical examination anyway. Report to police and file an accident report. To do this, call #110 and check the points below: a) The address, name, and phone number of the other party involved in the accident. b) Notify and request the presence of a police officer. The police will come to investigate, file a report, and use this report as an important document to help decide on who is at fault. Medical fees and Compensation Negotiation Once any injuries are taken care of, both parties involved in the accident negotiate how to compensate for any fees involved (e.g. medical). As such negotiations can often become very complex discussions, its best to consult with a Japanese friend that can better handle the situation, the international center, or your faculty / graduate school office. For consultation, please refer to the places listed below. Place Telephone Kyoto City Residents Association Kyoto Prefecture Traffic Accident Consultation Center Shiga Prefecture Traffic Accident Consultation Center

6 3) List of Hospitals and Dental Clinics (To learn more about the health facilities near Ritsumeikan University, please refer to the health handbook distributed by the medical service center. ) Kinugasa Campus, Kyoto (See also: ***Emergency Appointments Available Emergency Hospitals / Medical Clinics Open on Holidays

7 Note: For those who cannot speak Japanese, please have someone translate for you.

8 BKC, Shiga: Emergency institutions open on Holidays: Note: For those who cannot speak Japanese, please have someone translate for you.

9 4) Ritsumeikan University Medical Service Center The University Medical Service Center offers examination facilities for internal medicine, emergency treatment for injuries, and consultation regarding health matters. Services provided by the Medical Service Center: a) Periodic Health Checkup Every fall or spring, students are encouraged to take advantage of periodic health checkups at no cost to the student. Because a certificate of health is often required in order to apply for a scholarship, thus we encourage students to take these health checkups when possible. If you do not, you will not receive a medical certificate. b) Receiving a Health Certificate Various types of health certificates are written up at the medical service center. However, in the event that you do not perform a periodic health check that year (including the health check for those on varsity teams), you will not be able to receive a health certificate. If you are not able to take this health checkup, please consult with the office of the medical service center. c) Health Guidance If there is concern over the result of your health check, you can be assigned a re-examination or a more thorough health check. After this, you may meet with a medical expert for more detailed guidance and/or treatment. d) Health Consultation You can make use of the medical service center for any worries related to mental or physical health and, when necessary, you will be introduced to a medical expert. Moreover, it should be mentioned that details of any consultation session remain confidential. Note: Meeting with a doctor is by appointment. e) Treatment / Emergency Procedures The medical service center has established a clinic that can carry out various treatments and emergency procedures. For location and hours of operation, please check the following webpage:

10 Note: When taking any sort of medical examination, make sure to bring your insurance papers. 5) Conflict and Consultation 1) Student Support Room The student support room carries out a variety of courses and group work for the purpose of helping students enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. For those who can t find a solution to a problem that s been on their mind and need to talk to someone, or need someone to listen, the support room can be of great assistance. Note: Those working in the support room are professional councilors. Note: All content of discussions with councilors will be strictly confidential. Making an Appointment: Appointment Method Make an appointment at the student office Make a telephone reservation with the student office Kinugasa Student Support Room BKC Student Support Room Suzaku Student Support Room Kenshinkan 2nd floor Central Arc 1st Floor Nakagawa Kaikan 7th Floor (Mon - Fri) 9am - 6:30pm , 9am - 6:30pm (Mon / Thurs), 9am - 5:30pm (Tues / Wed / Fri) am - 5:30pm (Mon - Fri) Visit the Student Support Room Directly Kenshinkan 2nd floor Central Arc 1st Floor Nakagawa Kaikan 7th Floor (Tues / Wed only) 2) Harassment Harassment is a violation of human rights and can be defined as any unfair, prejudicial, or distasteful behavior from one faculty member to another faculty member, student, or affiliate. This also applies if a student or affiliate produces this kind of behavior towards another student or faculty member. In accordance with the Harassment Prevention Committee, Ritsumeikan University has put counseling staff in place to deal with the matters discussed above. In times of difficulty or confusion, please use this support service in order to help clarify and explain one s situation. If friends or acquaintances seem to be having problems, please inform them of this counseling service. When dealing with harassment, there are some times when the situation is complex and may be difficult to fully understand. In times where

11 you were harassed, or felt you may have been harassed, you should try your best to remember each incident and keep a record. Please refer to the URL below for more information on harassment, what constitutes harassment, and counseling services: