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Frequently Asked Questions: My Number Card Health Insurance Card Usage

Regarding the shift to the use of health insurance cards (hereinafter referred to as Maina Health Insurance Cards) in My Number Card in December 2024

Q1 Will I not be able to use my insurance card in December of this year (2024)? If I don't have a My Number Card, will I not be able to see a doctor with my insurance?

A1

On December 2 of this year (2024), new issuance of the current insurance card will be suspended. The current insurance card can be used until its expiration date (up to December 1 of next year (twenty twenty-five)).

From December of this year (2024), if your insurance status has changed due to a job change or moving, or if your insurance card has expired, those who have registered for the use of the Minor Insurance Card will be required to use the Minor Insurance Card for medical examinations.

Those who do not have a My Number Card or are not registered to use a minor insurance card can receive a medical examination with the "Eligibility Confirmation Letter" sent by the insurer before the expiration date of the current insurance card. These people do not need to apply to receive the "Eligibility Confirmation Letter".

Q2 Where should I check the expiration date of the insurance card I am using now?

A2

If there is an expiration date, it is written on the insurance card. Please check it.

Please note that many people who are enrolled in the National Health Insurance and the Medical Treatment System for the Elderly Aged 75 and older will have their insurance cards expire in July or August next year (in twenty twenty-five). Please check your insurance card.

In addition, many health insurance cards of health insurance societies do not have an expiration date, but in that case, they can be used until December 1st next year (twenty twenty-five).

Q3 Where can I check if I have registered for use of my Minor Insurance Card? Where can I register for use? Can I cancel my registration for use?

A3

You can check the use registration of your Minor Insurance Card on the top screen after logging in at the Mynaportal.

In addition, facial recognition terminals installed at medical institutions and pharmacies can be operated at the time of reception using a My Number Card, regardless of whether or not you have registered for use. If you have registered for use, you will operate according to the normal reception screen at the time of reception. If you have not registered for use, you will automatically switch to the registration screen, so you can register for use of your Minor Health Insurance Card on the spot. In addition, you can register for use directly after checking the status of your registration at the Mynaportal, or you can register at an ATM of Seven Bank.

If you wish to cancel your Maina Health Insurance Card for any reason, please apply to the medical insurer you are enrolled in. Upon application, if you do not have a valid current health insurance card, you will be able to receive a issue for a certificate of eligibility from the medical insurer.

(updated November 15, 2024)

Benefits of the Minor Insurance Card and future plans

Q4 What are the advantages of using a Minor Insurance Card?

A4

There are various advantages to using the Minor Insurance Card.

  • Reduction of burden at medical institution counters
    Under the public medical insurance system, if the out-of-pocket cost is high, there is an upper limit to the out-of-pocket cost based on the person's income (High-Cost Medical Care Benefit System). The out-of-pocket cost is paid on behalf of the person at the counter of the medical institution and will be reimbursed later, since it is necessary to confirm the person's income.
    On the other hand, if you use the My Number Card as an insurance card, you can calculate the upper limit of your own expense at the counter. You will not have to pay the amount that exceeds the upper limit of your own expense at the counter and make an advance payment.
  • Sharing of drug information with medical institutions and pharmacies
    If a patient receives a medical examination with a minor insurance card and agrees to provide medical examination information, past drug information, and information on specific medical examinations, he or she will be able to accurately communicate to the doctor who treats him or her and the pharmacist who provides guidance on drug administration, the drugs and injection drugs he or she has taken, his or her medical history, and the results of the medical examination, including the details of medical examinations at other medical institutions. In addition, in-hospital prescription drugs that are not usually recorded in the medicine notebook will also be accurately shared. By accurately communicating medical information that tends to be inaccurate verbally and making use of it in medical examinations, it will be possible to provide medical care that is more suitable for the patient.

In addition, at pharmacies that have introduced electronic prescriptions, including paper prescriptions, pharmacists can check the drug information of other pharmacies when dispensing, and check for drugs that require coordination (contraindications for combined use, etc.) or duplicate medications based on the latest drug information. Systematic checking makes it possible to check the drug information more accurately than a paper medicine notebook, allowing you to take the necessary drugs safely and securely.

In addition, even at medical institutions that have introduced electronic prescriptions, doctors and dentists can check the latest information and easily find contraindications for combined use and duplicate medications by seeing a doctor with a minor insurance card.
Already, 40% of pharmacies nationwide have introduced electronic prescriptions, and we aim to introduce them at most pharmacies nationwide by the end of this fiscal year (fiscal 2024).

  • Use in ambulances
    By presenting the Minor Health Insurance Card when the injured person is transported by ambulance, medical care information and drug information can be accurately shared with emergency medical services. Emergency medical services can quickly obtain accurate information on the injured person with the Minor Health Insurance Card and communicate it to medical institutions so that they can select the transportation destination and take appropriate emergency measures. Therefore, medical institutions at the transportation destination can start preparations such as necessary examinations before accepting the injured person.
  • Systems necessary to appropriately handle medical information
    In order to appropriately handle such medical information, we use a system in which IC chips in the My Number Card are used for authentication after making a secure identity verification with facial recognition or a PIN number. Since it is extremely difficult to counterfeit IC chips, the use of the My Number Card is safe and secure.

Q5 What kind of expansion of the function of the minor insurance card is planned?

A5

The Maina Health Insurance Card is the foundation of medical DX. We plan to expand the following functions in the future.

  • Sharing Electronic Health Record Information
    By using the Minor Health Insurance Card, medical information and pharmacies can share the results of blood and urine tests related to lifestyle-related diseases, information on allergies, and the names of past illnesses.
    From January of next year (twenty twenty-five), we plan to gradually start a model project targeting about 10 medical institutions and pharmacies nationwide. In the future, based on the results of the model project, we will expand the number of medical institutions and pharmacies where electronic medical record information can be shared.
  • Integration of the claimant certificate for medical care subsidies
    The My Number Card can be used not only as an insurance card, but also as a claimant certificate for various medical care subsidies, such as a medical care subsidy for intractable disease patients and a claimant certificate for a local government's medical care subsidy for children.
    Five local governments nationwide have already started the initiative, and about 180 local governments (22 prefectures and 157 municipalities as of September 2024) are scheduled to start the initiative by the end of this fiscal year (fiscal 2024).
  • Integration of patient registration cards
    You can use the My Number Card as a patient ID card for medical institutions.
    It is already available at some medical institutions, and will be gradually expanded as the system renovation of medical institutions progresses.
  • Integration of immunization and maternal and child health
    For vaccinations and maternal and child health (infant and prenatal checkups), you can fill in the medical interview sheet and pre-examination sheet in advance at the Mynaportal through your smartphone and receive vaccinations and checkups at the My Number Card. You can also check your vaccination history and checkup results from your smartphone.
    Some local governments have already started to take the initiative.

Q6 Will I be able to see a doctor on my smartphone instead of the My Number Card?

A6

We are preparing for the release of the My Number Card function in the spring of next year (twenty twenty-five) so that it can be installed on iPhones. After the installation, some medical institutions and pharmacies will promptly start using the Minor Health Insurance Card for iPhones, and we plan to gradually expand it to medical institutions and pharmacies nationwide. We are preparing to start using the Health Insurance Card for Android smartphones at the same time as the installation of the Health Insurance Card on iPhones.

Response to Problems

Q7 I am worried that my medical information may be leaked if I lose my My Number Card.

A7

Highly private information, such as tax, pension, and medical history information, is not recorded on the IC chips of the My Number Card. In addition, the Maina Health Insurance Card is a system in which medical information, etc., can be confirmed only by combining the IC chips of the card, facial recognition, and personal identification number. Information related to tax, pension, medical care, etc., cannot be retrieved only by the My Number Card.
Even if someone loses the My Number Card and tries to use the card, it is impossible to retrieve the information without the PIN number, as with bank cash cards. In addition, if someone tries to illegally read the information from the IC chip, the IC chip is automatically damaged and cannot be read.

Q8 I have heard that My Number Card says, "Be careful not to show it to others and keep it carefully." There is a convenient service using a card, but can I carry it around?

A8

There will be more and more convenient services using My Number Card in the future. Please take My Number Card with you and use it.
A My Number Card can be handled in the same way as a bank cash card or a credit card. In the unlikely event that you drop it or lose it, please take the procedure for temporary suspension of use. Temporary suspension is accepted at the toll-free at the 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
In addition, if you try to force the My Number Card to read the inside of the IC chip, the IC chip will be automatically broken and you will not be able to read it, so you cannot abuse it. Please use it with peace of mind. In addition, the My Number Card can be reissued at the municipality where you live.

Q9 Is it OK if people see my number?

A9

My Number is a 12-digit number that is assigned to every person in the country who has a resident's card. It is written on the back of the My Number Card. My Number and My Number Card are different things. If you use it as an insurance card, you use the My Number Card, but not the My Number.
In addition, even if the My Number is seen by others or is leaked, various procedures cannot be carried out using the My Number alone, so information cannot be extracted or misused immediately. When using the My Number as a My-Number Health Insurance Card, even if a staff member of a medical institution sees the My Number on the back of the card, it is impossible to extract medical information using the My Number alone, and it does not violate the provisions of the My Number Act, such as restrictions on the provision of information.
On the other hand, disclosing your My Number on your personal blog, SNS, etc. may constitute "providing" your My Number to a third party and may be a violation of the law, so please refrain from such acts.

Q10 If I lose my My Number Card, I am worried that it will take time to reissue it and I will not be able to visit medical institutions and pharmacies.

A10

If it is necessary to reissue a My Number Card due to loss, etc., it currently takes about one month to receive the card, but from December of this year (2024), it will be possible to reissue it in one week as a general rule.
If you lose it, you can have it reissued at the municipality where you live after informing the at the My Number Card General Counter (0120-95-0178) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Q11 What should I do if my My Number Card is not scanned, both my face ID and PIN are not working, or the card reader is not working due to a power outage?

A11

In the event that neither the face authentication nor the PIN number can be handled, there is a method in which a medical institution or pharmacy staff checks the photo on the card and accepts it (visual mode).

In addition, if you are unable to scan your Maina Health Insurance Card, you can access the Mynaportal on your smartphone and present your health insurance card number and information necessary for medical examination to medical institutions and pharmacies on your smartphone screen.

In the event of a system failure, power outage, or equipment malfunction, if you present a My Number Card and take the following actions, you will be covered by insurance and can receive medical care at your own expense (not at one hundred percent).

  • For return visits: Review credentials from previous visits
  • In the case of a first visit: State in the declaration of eligibility

The insurance eligibility information displayed on the Mynaportal can be downloaded to your smartphone. Once you download it, you can visit medical institutions and pharmacies more smoothly by presenting the downloaded screen without accessing the Mynaportal.

In addition, due to the suspension of the issuance of new insurance cards, a document containing information on insurance eligibility (notice of eligibility information) will be sent to the applicable people. Those who do not use smartphones can receive a medical examination by presenting this document along with a My Number Card.

Q12 In the past, there was a mistake in linking My Number, but I am worried that my information is linked to someone else's.

A12

I would like to apologize again for causing great concern to the people of Japan regarding the misidentification of the My Number.
By April of this year (2024), we were able to confirm that all of the information was correctly linked to the My Number by cross-checking it against the information on the resident's card. In addition, when new members of the medical insurance system register, the insurers (health insurance society, Japan Health Insurance Association, municipalities, etc.) cross-check the registered information against the information on the resident's card at the time of registration, in order to prevent errors in the linking of the My Number.
In addition, you can check your own linked credentials in Mynaportal.

Q13 When I presented my My Number Card as my health insurance card at the hospital, it was shown as "No Credentials". What kind of procedures do I need?

A13

For reasons such as a change of job, etc., please contact the insured person (health insurance society, Japan Health Insurance Association, municipality, etc.) to see if he / she has already been registered by the insured person.
In laws and ordinances, it is stipulated that the system registration of those who have newly obtained qualifications by changing jobs, etc. should be completed within 10 days from the date of obtaining the qualifications, and insurers are taking measures to check and improve the administrative flow to speed up the system registration.

Q14 Your hospital or pharmacy will not accept you at the My Number Card. Do I need to bring both the My Number Card and the insurance card to the hospital or pharmacy?

A14

Except for some exceptions (such as the case where the doctor is elderly and handles the Statement of Medical Service Fees by hand), medical institutions and pharmacies that provide insured medical treatment are required to accept the application by My Number Card. If the application is accepted by My Number Card, the current insurance card is not required.
If you receive a medical examination at a medical facility or pharmacy that does not handle My Number Card, please contact the at the My Number Card General Counter (0120-95-0178). If necessary, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will confirm the situation with the relevant medical facility or pharmacy.

Those who are in need of assistance due to illness or disability

Q15 I have elderly and demented parents. I cannot go to the city hall to receive a My Number Card. What should I do?

A15

Those who don't have a My Number Card can see a doctor with a certificate of eligibility issued by the insurer.

Also, the My Number Card can be received by a proxy.
When receiving by proxy, in addition to the identity verification documents of the person and the proxy, a issue notice and power of attorney addressed to the person, a notification card, and documents proving that the person is difficult to come to the counter (medical certificates, disability certificates, documents proving that the person is in a facility, etc.) are required.
If you are concerned about setting a PIN or managing your card, you can apply for a facial recognition My Number Card that does not require setting a PIN.

Q16 I am using a wheelchair. Can you operate the facial recognition terminal?

A16

The facial recognition terminals installed in medical institutions and pharmacies can be operated by hand by using wide-angle lenses or removing the terminals so that people in wheelchairs can perform facial recognition.
On the other hand, if the reception counter is located at a high position and it is difficult to operate the device, it is possible for medical institutions and pharmacies to check the photo on the card and accept the request (visual mode). This visual mode will be improved next spring (twenty twenty-five) to make it more convenient to meet the needs of each patient.

Q17. If I use a My Number Card as an insurance card, are there any advantages for medical institutions, pharmacies, and insurers?

A17

Medical institutions and pharmacies usually receive 30% of medical fees from patients at the counter and charge 70% to the insurer.
On the other hand, after medical institutions and pharmacies claimed medical treatment fees from insurers, it was discovered that patients' insurance qualifications had changed from before they received medical treatment due to changing jobs, etc., and it was revealed that there were more than 5 million cases in which claims were returned by insurers during the year (according to a 2016 survey by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare).
By using the My Number Card as an insurance card at medical institutions and pharmacies, even if a patient's insurance status changes, the latest information on insurance status can be checked online, and medical fees can be claimed accurately.

In addition, information such as names and addresses confirmed online can be automatically imported and recorded, preventing transcription errors due to handwriting.

This greatly reduces the amount of work required to return a claim to the insurer, and eliminates the need to issue a new insurance card to a person who has registered to use a minor insurance card. As a result, the cost of mailing the insurance card, such as the cost of simple registered mail, can be reduced.
In addition, if medical information on patients is shared between medical institutions and pharmacies, it will be possible to check for duplicate medications online, and there will be no need to conduct more tests than necessary, which will lead to more efficient medical costs.