Not sure where else to ask. I work for the US Feds and their insurance basically doesn’t work here. Reimbursement and arguing and what not. Someone suggested I get Japanese health insurance. I think they mean private insurance and not the national version? I’m half Japanese but do not have a passport. I can be put on my family koseki.
Basically, is it worth it? I have a wife and 2 kids so going to the doctors is pretty common. I cannot be seen on base (long story). Right now, I’m basically paying out of pocket for everything.
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Everyone loves a long story!
Spill the beans!
Have no passport? Then you must be a Japanese citizen. And Japanese dual citizens can’t be residing in Japan as American… Like if you’re found out, the Japanese can pull your Japanese citizenship. Look it up. It’s happened.
Also, it you’re working under SOFA, you can’t get NHI. You may sneak your way into it, but if they find out you’re SOFA and working as an AMerican, you’ll have to pay all that money back at full price. Also, seen it happen. Especially to Americans living here on a spouse visa and then get a SOFA job, but keep the card and insurance. They always find out, and it’s a mess.
Now, it you’re American, then your employer should be offering insurance that works in the country you’re in. Like Cigna or Etna International.
Is your wife Japanese, too? If so, why isn’t she and the kids on NHI?
If you’re working a low-level SOFA job, like MWR, and you have Japanese citizenship, you should be applying for an MLC or IHA job, as it’ll pay way better than the slave wages local hire Americans get.
Lots of base workers got shafted and can’t use base health, it’s not good anyways. You can go off base and just pay out of pocket, it’s not as bad as you think. I had to get a x-ray done and read and I didn’t want to do the insurance paperwork, the lady looked like she was going to have a heart attack when I said I’ll pay out of pocket, she said it was expensive and it was about $30 (¥3500).
I know one guy that has a government job but took his wife Visa status and goes out in town. I’m not sure how his insurance is set up.
I could get a sofa job but there’s no benefits that are worth dropping my Japanese healthcare. Sure I’m paying Japanese prices for owning both my cars, but I also can blend into traffic without that dumb Y/A plate.
See if you can’t be on your wife’s health care, since base doesn’t provide care for non military people.
Unfortunately when the Defense Health Agency took over control of the hospitals in Japan they basically enacted new processes overnight without anything being in place for civilians who relied upon those hospitals for care.
This is driving a large amount of people to execute PCS orders early or not take jobs out here.
As you all already stated, you pay out of pocket up front and then submit a claim to your US Insurance provider. Depending on the provider you may have to pay for it to be translated.