I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Medicare/Insurance => Topic started by: komomai on November 14, 2018, 08:47:32 PM

Title: Just retired in Japan enrolled in Japanese National Health Care
Post by: komomai on November 14, 2018, 08:47:32 PM

I've been working and living in Okinawa Japan for over 20 years.  My job was with the Civil Service as a GS employee on a military base.  So I was not eligible for the Japanese insurance, no problem as I have a US insurance coverage.  I do home hemodialysis through a tunnel cathier in my chest.  My average dialysis bill including Doctor's visit, supplies, machine and reverse osmosis was about $4,000 US dollars.  I normally do dialysis about 6 or 7 times a week at either 3 or 4 hours. 

I just retired on Oct. 31st and applied for a Japanese spousal visa, my wife is from Okinawa.  Got a call from immigration that my card was ready, they gave me a 5 year visa.  With that card we went to the local city office where we live.  My wife registered me with them, which allowed me to get a National Health Insurance card, also my Doctor informed them with a letter that I was a hemodialysis patient, in Japan they consider a hemodialysis patient as being disabled and will charge them a certain price.  So I found out that my maximum charge will be about $100 a month.  My insurance card charges for my family of 3 people is $35 a month.

I remember on my home visits to Hawaii and going to the Davita clinics and seeing my insurance bill of $19,000 per visit  What is going on with the healthcare system in the USA? :guitar:

Title: Re: Just retired in Japan enrolled in Japanese National Health Care
Post by: cassandra on November 15, 2018, 04:40:06 AM

Am I wrong in answering privatised medical treatment?

Title: Re: Just retired in Japan enrolled in Japanese National Health Care
Post by: Rerun on November 15, 2018, 10:13:21 AM

WOW!  Capitalism works UNTIL Greed get the best of them.  There is no "Truth in Billing" here in the USA.  Congress just KEEPS trying to pay the bills without asking... Is the bill correct? 
In CA they tried to pass a proposition 8 on the ballots.  It basically said dialysis centers could make 115% profit and any more than that would have to be refunded back to the patient or the insurance company or Medicare.  It failed.  You can go on YouTube and see some the of the Advertisements for/against Prop 8 in CA.  Pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MQvXUA1IBM