Deciding between TJK and National Health Insurance

[Dee.Geo]

My wife has to decide between continuing for 2 years on TJK health insurance and moving to national health insurance after retirement from her fulltime employment. Before I call TJK and visit the city office I thought I will hear the wisdom from the group. Any insights?

[Tkydon]

For the first year, it (probably) doesn't matter what she does.
The Premiums will be based on her income for the last year before she leaves the company.
Therefore, the premiums for TJK or National Health Insurance will be (about) the same.

TJK will tell her the premiums if she chooses to continue with them, and she can then go to the local Shi-Ku-Son-Cho Yakusho or Shutchojo and check the comparable premiums for the Kokumin Kenko Hoken and compare.

It'll probably be slightly cheaper to continue with TJK for the first year...

But, after a year of unemplyment / retirement, she will have had no / low income for a year.
The TJK premium will probably continue at the same level for the second year, but if she switches to Kokumin Kenko Hoken the premiums should reduce significantly based on the lower income in the previous year (first year after retirement).
Therefore, it'll probably be better to switch to Kokumin Kenko Hoken for the second year. Probably a lot cheaper...

If she continues with TJK for the first year, they are obliged to inform her at the end of the first year that Kokumin Kenko Hoken will probably be cheaper for the second year, and give her the opportunity to switch or continue for the second year at that time.

She will obviously have to switch at the end of the second year if she continued through for the whole two years.

[RetireJapan]

I am on my former employer's health insurance this year (national university) since finishing work last March. It was about 30% cheaper than kokumin kenkou hoken if I remember correctly.

My income was much lower this year, so I'm planning to switch to kokumin from April.

[Dee.Geo]

Awesome! Thanks a lot. Those tips help!