Health Insurance Act (Kenkō Hoken Hō)
The Health Insurance Act (Kenkō Hoken Hō) establishes the framework for employee health insurance in Japan. Originally enacted in 1922 and substantially revised multiple times, the Act provides health insurance coverage for employees of small and medium-sized enterprises and their dependents. The Act is part of Japan’s universal health coverage system, which covers all residents through a combination of employee-based insurance and national health insurance.
Legal area: Law governing the provision of medical services and healthcare institutions.
Year enacted: 1922
Full text: https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=japan-health-insurance-act
Key Provisions
- Chapter I: General provisions (insured persons, coverage)
- Chapter II: Benefits (medical, sickness, maternity, injury)
- Chapter III: Premium contributions (employer and employee shares)
- Chapter IV: Health Insurance Society governance
- Chapter V: Supervision and administration
Significance
The Health Insurance Act is part of Japan’s universal health coverage system, which has been in place since 1961. Japan’s system provides coverage to all residents with relatively low copayments (typically 10-30%). The system achieves good health outcomes at relatively low cost. However, the ageing population is creating increasing pressure on the system. The Act has been amended to address rising healthcare costs and to improve coverage for chronic conditions.