Japan halts issuing health insurance cards, info tied to My Number ID

TOKYO (Kyodo) On Monday, Japan ceased providing new health insurance cards as the government strives to incorporate the health insurance cards’ functions into the My Number cards with a view of enhancing the integration of the two cards in the digitalization process.

To receive treatment at hospitals and other medical institutions, people who have My Number cards integrated with health insurance data will have to present them. But, the existing health insurance cards can still be used, and this is with a grace period of up to one year.

Also, those who do not have My Number cards can still receive insured care if they show a certificate which testifies about their health insurance enrollment.

The people who have not applied for My Number cards in the first place or those who have not linked their My Number cards to their health insurance cards before the expiration date will be among the recipients of the newly issued certificates.

The certificates which replace health insurance cards can be used for up to five years and are also renewable. It can be delivered through postal service or any other means.

When using the My Number card which contains the health insurance information, the cardholder will have to use a card reader that is found in a medical institution to identify himself or herself and then enter a four digit pin or use facial recognition.

As of October, the number of people who have already linked their My Number cards to their health insurance cards also stood at 77.47 million, this is about 82% of the total holders, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare revealed.

The existing insurance cards can be used until December 1, 2025, or December 1, 2026 if the certificate does not have an expiration date printed on it.

However, the cards will be of no use if the medical insurance that one is enrolled in changes due to a change of job or residence.

However, if there are issues with the My Number card system for instance if the card reader at the medical institution does not work, then a notice about the enrollment in the medical insurance can be shown instead.

The notice is sent either by a health insurance association to which one belongs or by a local municipal government, and can also be displayed on the screen on the cardholder’s My Number app.

The My Number ID system was introduced in 2016 where every citizen and foreign resident in Japan was given a 12 digit number which contains the photo and the name of the person together with other details. It has had some set back following the issues of data theft and incorrect data capture.

The My Number card is voluntary and serves in the different purpose administrative of processes providing like an to identification number get that can a be residence used certificate in a convenience store or to apply for benefits.

The health insurance cards were to be phased out in favour of the My Number cards which integrate the two functions to allow medical institutions, with the consent of the patient, to access the patient’s data such as the medical prescription records to advice the patient the right treatment, the government says.