Separate or together for national health insurance?

[solo7100]

We went to register my mom and sister at the ward office for their National Health Insurance (new residents to Japan, 3 year visa).

They are living together. The ward office asked if they wanted to be together on the health insurance or separate.

I had no idea what they meant.

I asked what the difference was and they said there was no real difference.

Huh? Which is better? Never heard of anything like this.

So I told them I'd ask around and get back to them.

Thanks for any insight.

[Tkydon]

Which Ward?

There are three Categories to National Health Insurance

1 - Basic Medical Care (All Insured Parties)
2 - Long-Term Nursing Care (All Insured Parties aged 40 to 64) (All Insured Parties - Billed separately from 65)
3 - Latter Life and End-of-Life Care (From 75)

Each Category is then broken down into three Components

a) - Per Household Component (not all Areas implement this for all Categories)
b) - Per Insured Person Component
c) - Income Related Component (based on Total Household Income) (not in the first year in Japan, as no income history in the previous tax year)

Each Category has a Per Household Maximum Premium Limit.

I am not sure if they will each be charged any Per Household Component if they are billed separately, maybe treated as separate households. You would have to ask at City Hall. Maybe they live in an area that does not have Per Household components.

The other components shouldn't make a difference if billed separately or together...

[solo7100]

Thank you, Tkydon,

We are going to ward office today (we're not in Tokyo...further south) and will sign them up together. They also said that we can change things later on, so that's comforting. Just didn't want to get into a sticky situation at the onset.

Thanks much,

[Tkydon]

I was going to search for you, but If I don't know which ward, I cannot.

You can search 'japan national health insurance handbook' and your ward...

Osaka is here. Page 9

https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/fukushi/cm ... sh2023.pdf

[solo7100]

I googled our city and found the handbook for our local ward.

Thanks again, question answered.