More health concerns
Dear Lifelines; As I understand it, anyone one with a visa for a year or more can enter National Health Insurance. But is the sheme compulsory? And once entered, are you able to leave it if you can find private health cover with an overseas firm? -- Reader in Kansai
Dear Reader in Kansai; As is so much in Japan, this is a very tricky question. The best way to put it is is this -- it is compulsory, but there is no penalty if you do not join. Once you enter you cannot leave the program.
In other words, if you are not already in the system, it might be good to compare similar private programs. Generally if your income is reasonable, the National Health Insurance should be the best, as it is based on a sliding scale -- the higher your income the greater the cost -- and it covers dental as well as other areas that many private insurance programs don't. Most of all there is no "pre-existing" condition requirement.