There are so many things about Japan that I love. One of them, is healthcare. It’s affordable, covers dental, and I can literally go anywhere and I know I’ll be seen. No private insurance companies, no checking to see if your insurance will cover, no copay, and most of all, not paying an arm and a leg! Some may be thinking the quality might not be as good, but I am here to tell you that’s wrong. In all of my experiences, they are more thorough than America, they perform any test they see necessary to figure out what may be wrong with you. I mean, come on, this is Japan, they are precise and thorough nation.
Why do I know this? Because I’ve seen a doctor twice since moving here. Once for chest stuff and the other to get tested for the flu. This past month I had severe bronchitis and some other infection. I was home from Thursday after work until the following Wednesday. Friday I went to the doctor who tested me for influenza (literally one of the worst tests ever), listened to my lungs, and all the things they do when they’re checking you out. The results were negative but he wanted me to comeback the next day to take the test again. So Saturday I went back, took the test and again, the results were negative. After that, he also had me get a chest x-ray, took some blood, and gave me an IV. Turns out, I had a severe case of bronchitis combined with some other infection (at least that’s what I was told by a friend who translated) so he prescribed an antibiotic and some stuff to gurgle because I couldn’t talk or swallow (hence the IV).
For both trips to the doctor, two influenza tests, an x-ray, blood test, and an IV, I paid about $50. Plus, my medicine which was $5. So overall, this visit was $55 which apparently is less than some copays in America, and, I had a better experience than the very few times I’ve gone in America. When you go to the pharmacy to get medicine here in Japan, you’re given a book of all the medications you’ve been prescribed. That way, you can go to any pharmacy in the country and your medication history is right there for them! How great is that?
Another time I went to the doctor, I was experiencing some chest pain. It was probably a month after arriving to Japan so I was probably just overwhelmed with everything. Long story short, I got blood taken, had an EKG, urine test, and one other test I can’t remember. I had all this done twice at two different hospitals and both visits combined I paid under $100. Again, treatment here was the same if not better than what I experienced in America. Not to mention I got all the tests done at one place verses being referred to another doctor in another town.
There is one negative about my experience. It’s one thing to be able to have a regular conversation in Japanese but to have a conversation about your health in Japanese is an entirely different story. The Japanese was so difficult to understand! The doctor was nice enough to try using some English he knew. However, I think my fever was causing some brain damage because I couldn’t even handle English.
Despite the language barrier, I’m very satisfied with the health care I have in Japan. Now if only America will get on that boat before I come back and almost everything will be perfect!
