Japanese Minister calls for medical fee review

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 01 Jun 2004 - 9:00 PDT

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Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Chikara Sakaguchi has unveiled a policy to drastically review the existing Japanese medical service fee structure.

"I want to clarify the standards of deciding medical service fees so that we won't have to review the national health insurance system every two years," Sakaguchi said Sunday during a Yomiuri Shimbun-sponsored lecture in Tokyo.

He indicated that his ministry would include the plan to review the system in bills related to medical service reforms, which it aims to submit to the ordinary Diet session in 2006. He also said current medical service fees are based on service and depend on the number of treatments and quantity of medicine.

"The existing system, in which hospitals and doctors can't stay in business unless they treat as many patients as possible, should be revised," Sakaguchi said. He proposed introducing standards on costs, including labor costs; time needed for medical care; seriousness of diseases; and needs for preventive treatment.

Copyright 2004 The Yomiuri Shimbun