Japan to Hike Outpatient Visit Fees to Increase Hospital Worker Pay

From Jiji

February 14 2024

TOKYO – A Japanese government advisory panel Wednesday proposed hikes in hospital visit fees paid by outpatients for their initial and follow-up medical examinations, in order to increase salaries of health care workers.

At a general meeting, the Central Social Insurance Medical Council adopted its proposal for a revision of medical fees paid to hospitals and clinics for fiscal 2024, including the hospital outpatient visit fee hikes. The proposal was submitted to health minister Keizo Takemi.

In order to promote pay hikes for young doctors, nursing staff and pharmacists, basic hospitalization fees will be lifted in addition to the hospital outpatient visit fees. Also proposed were special additional fees exclusively to support staff wage hikes.

The proposed measures will be implemented in June.

For the year starting in April, Japan will revise fees for the three care-related services covered by public insurance–the medical and elderly care services and the welfare service for people with disabilities–together for the first time in six years.