My girlfriend’s father is over from The Philippines for this month. She wants to get him a CT scan because of health issues he had in the Philippines that he was unable to check at the time due to the COVID pandemic and has been putting off since. I understand that it is expensive to get medical care in Japan without insurance. Does anyone have any information on how to reduce the cost?
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I assume the only way to reduce the cost is getting travel insurance to begin with before you come to japan. Why would Japan shoulder the bill for a visitor not paying taxes/health insurance payments?
Doubt that travel insurance insurance will pay for CT scan for existing/”want to”, unless accident or something occurs that need attention while travelling.
The best way to reduce the cost would be to go back to the Philippines and do it there I assume.
If he does it here he’s going to have to pay full price, and I assume the price is more expensive here than in the Philippines
My guess is that he will be able to reduce the cost by doing it in the Philippines. I mean, that’s where he’s paying taxes and health insurance, I assume.
Travel insurance (the only insurance I see he could be eligible for) covers eventualities, not planned events.
You don’t reduce the cost, it is what it is. He pays out of pocket. Travel insurance ain’t going to cover that and he ain’t eligible for health insurance. It is what it is.
CT scan on its own its around 30,000 yen~. You can try getting quotes from clinics for CT scans without insurance.
What’s the reasoning for wanting to do it here? It is highly likely it’ll be cheaper in the Philippines – also all the results and explanation will also be in English or Filipino if they do it there?
Stylud
In Japan medical cost are strictly capped for everyone and insured people pay about 30% of their actual cost.
You can get insurance for travelers that also covers preexisting conditions but even if you have to pay in full out of pocket if won’t be more than three times what insured people would normally pay.
For example, and MRI with a doctor’s visit shouldn’t cost you more than 25,000 Yen.
Forbes has a pretty good article about this.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/destinations/japan-trips/