Aug
26
There’s a short article in the New York Times titled “Healthcare Abroad: Japan” which is part of a series that looks at healthcare systems in other countries. It briefly gets at what works well, what the weak points are and why it’s that way.
How do JETs and JET alums feel about Japanese healthcare and the points in this article? Share your thoughts by posting a comment.
See this recent post on JetWit (“JET alumni and healthcare“) for additional discussion of JET alumni and their experiences and concerns with healthcare.
Update: Turns out PBS’ Frontline did a documentary called “Sick Around the World“ which examined the healthcare systems in five countries, including Japan, which you can watch on their website here.
2 comments so far...
I’m pretty sure I had that professor at Michigan for a poli sci class on Japanese government, but I can’t recall because I was asleep at the time. This article makes yet another good argument for me to move in with my Japanese in-laws. “Tightly regulating multiple insurers.” Yeah, that’s never going to happen in the US.
I haven’t had any major medical issues in Japan, but what few visits I’ve made to doctors and dentists have been quick, cheap, and effective.
At the moment I’m receiving physical therapy for a knee injury at a sports medicine clinic. I’ve received hours of hands-on therapy for a very tiny copay, probably less than ¥100/hour. I don’t know if such a thing would be readily covered in the US, if I had health insurance at all!