Japan raises health insurance premiums for high-income elderly

The aim is to ease the burden on the working generation.

Japan’s health ministry proposed to raise the upper limit on health insurance premiums paid by high-income earning people aged 75 years or older from 660,000 yen ($4.73k) per year at present, Jiji Press reports.

The ministry is also proposing to raise the share of health insurance premiums paid by all people aged 75 years or older from 10%t at present. The remaining 90% is currently covered by payments from working generations and taxpayer money.

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According to the health ministry,  the proposed reform is designed to ease the burden on working generations whilst making the country's health care system sustainable as medical expenses are expected to grow further due to an ageing and declining population.

Under the reform, the amount of contributions paid by major companies' health insurance societies to medical expenses of people aged between 65 and 74 years will be raised.