Japan FY 2023 Medical Costs Hit Record High above 47 T. Yen

   Tokyo, Sept. 3 (Jiji Press)--Medical fees paid to hospitals and clinics in Japan in fiscal 2023 grew 2.9 pct from the previous year to a record high of about 47.3 trillion yen, preliminary health ministry data showed Tuesday.
   The third straight annual rise reflected the country's aging population and the increased use of advanced medical equipment and technologies.
   The data covered payments from health insurance programs, public money used and medical expenses shouldered by patients themselves, but not costs fully borne by patients and those covered by the worker compensation system. The reported amount made up roughly 98 pct of the entire medical expenses in the country.
   Medical fees paid for hospitalization climbed 3.1 pct to 18.7 trillion yen, and those for other forms of treatment, such as for outpatients and house calls, went up 1.0 pct to 16.4 trillion yen. Costs to dispense drugs increased 5.4 pct to 8.3 trillion yen, and those to treat dental patients expanded 1.9 pct to 3.3 trillion yen.
   In the fiscal year to last March, medical costs related to the novel coronavirus nearly halved to some 440 billion yen as COVID-19 was downgraded to a lower-risk category under the infectious disease law in May 2023.

(2024/09/03-19:09)

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