Different Insurance Scheme from NHI

Hi,

In a salary negotiation the other day in Tokyo, when we were talking about the insurance, I was shown this table

https://www.kyoukaikenpo.or.jp/~/media/Files/shared/hokenryouritu/h26/...

I understand the premiums will be co-paid by the company and myself as deduction from the gross salary since I am under 40 years of age (全国健康保険協会管掌健康保険料 .. 介護保険第２号被保険者
に該当しない場合.. 折半額).

Is this insurance scheme different from the NHI (健康保険)? I did a quick google and realised of course that this chart is for the insurance scheme under 全国健康保険協会. I noticed that this calculator (http://e-kyu.com/muryou/tedori.html) used to estimate net income also uses this scheme as reference. As such I am assuming this is pretty mainstream.

My concerns are:
1. Generally, how do these 2 schemes differ in terms of coverage?

2. Will the chart still apply in my second year?

3. The calculation for the NHI is complicated but it has no mentions of premiums changing from the second year. I have heard that people actually pay twice the premiums in the second year and wonder if it is true and if so, which insurance should I avoid?

I read Japanese but these things are a little overwhelming at the time. All help much appreciated!

- The one you'll enroll in will be the health insurance scheme of your employer.
- National Health Insurance is for those not on anyone's payroll, for example, students (if they so wish), temp. staff who work under a certain number of hours a week, and independent business operators (those who file their income each year).

Coverage is the same, maybe the percentage you pay when you go see doctors is slightly different? (Those on NHI pays 30% at clinics.)

Thanks for the reply AK.

I was told that I will be liable for 30% of the medical cost (just like the NHI) so I was a little confused.

Is it true that some insurance premiums double in the second year? Does this scheme also doubles?

There are two different type of public Health Insurance in Japan. One is 国民健康保険 kokumin kenko hoken, and another is so-called 社会保険 shakai hoken.
Those who are employed are covered by 社会保険 (the one you quoted is this one) - the big difference between the two is that for shakaihoken employer bear 50% of the premium while for kokumin hoken one has to pay 100%.

Coverage is the same for either of these two insurance; normally it's 70% of the total cost (and you have to pay the rest, i.e. 30%). Coverage for small children (from 0 year up to pre-elementary school ones) and 70-74 years-old are 80%, and 90% for 75 years old or above.

Premiums are based on your previous year's salary, so they will be artificially low your first year. The second year they end up going up to their normal rate.

Those who are employed are covered by 社会保険 (the one you quoted is this one)

Is 社会保険 just the general term or does it automatically refer to this one from 全国健康保険協会 (協会けんぽ)?


Premiums are based on your previous year's salary, so they will be artificially low your first year. The second year they end up going up to their normal rate.

If I understand this correctly, for the first month that I work in Japan, I will not be paying a single yen because my previous year's salary in Japan is zero?

I'm sorry if I sound too particular. I just want to make sure that I understand more clearly.

If I understand this correctly, for the first month that I work in Japan, I will not be paying a single yen because my previous year's salary in Japan is zero?

No, there is still a minimum payment. It will just be lower than what you would pay if it were calculated by your actual salary.

if you are in 国民健康保険, it is correct that premiums are based on your previous year's salary.
if you are in 社会保険, your premium(保険料) is calculated based on your expected monthly income at that company.

you can't choose 国民健康保険 or 社会保険(健康保険).
if you work for more than 30 hours per week at that company, you are in 社会保険. if you work less than 30 hours per week there, your company will not join you 社会保険. you have to be in 国民健康保険 (you have to go to city office to do necessary procedures.)

if you are in 国民健康保険, you also need to pay 国民年金.
if you are in 社会保険(健康保険), you also need to pay 厚生年金.

if you are in 国民健康保険, it is correct that premiums are based on your previous year's salary.
if you are in 社会保険, your premium(保険料) is calculated based on your expected monthly income at that company.

Thank you so much ken. I could verify that premiums for 国民健康保険 are indeed based on previous year's salary but couldn't find any information saying that premiums for 社会保険 are calculated in the same manner.

I am aware of the pension contribution required of me.

Thanks again!