Health care reform in Japan.

Abstract

Concentration of outpatients in major hospitals has been one of the major problems, and division of labor between clinics and hospitals is being strongly proposed as a policy. However, it is rather a structural problem and it runs counter to basic principle of free access to medicine by the public under our universal high insurance coverage policy. Another problem is excess number of hospital beds and long hospitalization. In order to save the extraordinarily expanding national medical expenditures, correction of these situations to the global standard is mandatory. It is the time to look over again the critical situation of our insurance system. Hospitals are suffering from frequently changing frivolous micro-policy. Comprehensive approach through macro-policy based on opinions by actually engaged persons, should be the linchpin of reforms for Japan's health care reform.