FAQ: Using the My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate

Register My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate starting in December 2024.

Q1. Will we be unable to use our Health Insurance Certificate after December 2024? If so, can we still see a doctor with the Health Insurance Certificate without using My Number Card?

A1.

New issuance of the current Health Insurance Certificate is no longer issued as of December 2, 2024. The existing Health Insurance Certificate remains valid until its expiration date, which is a maximum of December 1, 2025.

After December 2024, if your health insurance status changes due to a job change or relocation, or if your Health Insurance Certificate has expired, you will be required to use your My Number Card registered as the Health Insurance Certificate.

Those who do not have a My Number Card or have not registered it as the Health Insurance Certificate will receive Health Insurance Eligibility Certificate, issued automatically without application.

Q2. Where can I find the expiration date of my Health Insurance Certificate?

A2.

If your Health Insurance Certificate has an expiration date, it is indicated on the certificate. For many individuals enrolled in the National Health Insurance and the Long-Term Care Insurance (aged +75), will see their Health Insurance Certificates expire in July or August of 2025. We recommend checking your status accordingly.

In case if your Health Insurance Certificate does not have an expiration date written, it remains valid until December 1, 2025.

Q3. How can I check or register My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate? Can I cancel the registration?

A3.

You can check the registration status by logging into Mynaportal.
The status will be displayed on the top after you log in. Facial recognition terminals are set up at medical institutions and pharmacies, and you can use your My Number Card at the reception, even if you haven't registered for a Health Insurance Certificate. If you're registered, the terminal will take you directly to the standard reception screen. If you're not registered, it will automatically switch to a registration screen, so you can sign up on the spot. You can check your registration status and register on Mynaportal, and you can also register at a Seven Bank ATM.

If, for any reason, you wish to cancel the registration for using your My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate, your application can be accepted starting in October 2024. Please submit your application to your insurance provider.

Benefits of using My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate and future schedules.

Q4. What are the benefits of using My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate?

A4.

There are various benefits to using My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate. Here are some good examples.

• Reduce burden at medical institutions.
  Under the National Health Insurance system, there is a cap on the amount of medical expenses that patients must pay, depending on their income (high-cost medical care system). Since verifying income is necessary to determine the amount payable, the medical institutions will make a provisional payment at the counter and reimburse the patient later. By using My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate, the maximum co-payment amount can be calculated directly at the place. This means you won’t have to make any payments exceeding the maximum co-payment upfront.

• Connecting your medical information with medical institutions and pharmacies.
  Using your My Number Card as your Health Insurance Certificate and consenting to share your medical information will enable doctors and pharmacists to access precise details about your health treatments, medications, injections, and health checkup results, even from other medical facilities. This system also includes in-house prescriptions that may not be recorded in your medicine notebook. By communicating your medical information more accurately than oral communication — which can often be unreliable — it helps ensure personalized medical care and prescriptions.

• Effective use at medical institutions and pharmacies.
  Medical institutions and pharmacies that have implemented digital prescriptions, including paper prescriptions, allow them to access medical information from other hospitals or pharmacies. This enables them to identify any potential issues, such as contraindications for combined use or duplicate medications, based on the most up-to-date prescription information. This systematic reference ensures that medical information is verified more accurately than with a paper medicine notebook, promoting safe and secure medication use.

  Currently, 60% of pharmacies in Japan have implemented digital prescriptions systems, and aiming to implement at all pharmacies by the end of fiscal year in 2024.

• Effective use in ambulances.
  When you are injured and transported by ambulance, presenting your My Number Card, which is integrated as a Health Insurance Certificate, allows emergency medical services to access your medical care and prescription information accurately. This allows them to quickly gather essential information about the injured person and relay it to medical institutions. Furthermore, they can choose the appropriate medical facilities and take appropriate emergency measures in advance. This proactive approach helps medical institutions prepare before accepting the injured person.

  To effectively manage medical information, we use a system that incorporates IC chips embedded in the My Number Card for authentication. This process begins with secure identity verification through facial recognition or a PIN. As IC chips are difficult to counterfeit, utilizing the My Number Card ensures safety and security.

Q5. What kind of broader uses are planned for the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate in the future?

A5.

Using the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate will serve as the foundation for medical digital transformation. The following functions will be expanded in the future.

• Sharing Electronic Health Record Information.
  My Number Card can be used as a Health Insurance Certificate, allowing medical institutions and pharmacies to share important medical information. This includes the results of blood and urine tests related to lifestyle-related diseases, details about allergies, and records of past illnesses.

  A nationwide model project involving approximately 10 medical institutions and pharmacies will be starting gradually in 2025. Based on the outcomes of this project, we will expand the number of facilities where electronic medical record information can be shared in the future.

• Integration of the claimant certificate for medical expense subsidies.
  My Number Card serves not only as a Health Insurance Certificate but also as a beneficiary card for various medical cost subsidies. This includes subsidies for patients with intractable diseases and pediatric medical cost support provided by local governments. Currently, 5 local governments in Japan have implemented this initiative, and approximately 183 in total are expected to adopt it by the end of fiscal year 2024.

• Integration of patient registration cards.
  You can use your My Number Card as a patient registration card at hospitals. This service is available at some medical institutions now and will gradually expand as the system is updated.

• Integration of Immunization and Maternal and Child Health.
  For vaccinations and maternal and child health services, including infant and prenatal checkups, you can complete the medical interview and pre-examination forms in advance using the Mynaportal app on your smartphone. This allows you to receive vaccinations and checkups using your My Number Card. Moreover, you can check your vaccination history and examination results directly from your smartphone. Some local governments have already taken the initiative to implement this system.

Q6. Can I consult a doctor on my smartphone instead of using My Number Card?

A6.

We are preparing to launch My Number Card features on iPhones in the spring of 2025. Some medical institutions and pharmacies will start using the Health Insurance Certificate feature on iPhones right after installation and this will be expanded to all medical institutions and pharmacies. Moreover, we are working to have the Health Insurance Certificate available for Android at the same time as the iPhone version.

Addressing the Problems

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

A7.

My Number Card do not store highly private and confidential information, such as tax records, pension details, or medical history, and accessing medical information requires the use of IC chips, facial recognition, and personal identification numbers. Which means, it is impossible to retrieve personal information only from your My Number Card. Therefore, if you lose your My Number Card, no one can access any information without the PIN number, like the function of the bank cards. Furthermore, if someone tries to illegally read the information from the IC chip, it will be automatically damaged and rendered unreadable.

Q8. Is it safe to carry My Number Card with me?

A8.

Please carry your My Number Card with you, as more convenient services will be available soon. You can use your My Number Card like a bank or credit card. If you lose your card, call My Number Card General Counter at the toll-free number 0120-95-0178 to temporarily suspend it. This service is available 24 hours a day, all year round. Your My Number Card can be reissued at the municipality where you live.

Q9. What happen if somebody sees my My Number?

A9.

My Number is a 12-digit identification number that is assigned to every individual who has a resident's card in Japan. Please note that My Number and My Number Card are two different things. When using as a health insurance certificate, we use My Number Card, but not My Number.

Q10. I'm concerned about losing My Number Card, as reissuing will take time and affect my access to medical care.

A10.

If you use the "Express Issuance and Delivery System," launching in December 2024, your My Number Card will be reissued within one week of your application.

To request a reissue of the card in case of loss, contact the toll-free number (0120-95-0178) available 24 hours throughout the year to stop using the card. You can then reissue the card at your local municipality.

Q11. What shall I do if My Number Card isn’t being read because of a power outage or system failure?

A11.

In such case, medical staff can verify your identity by checking the photo on your card. If you cannot scan your My Number Card, access the Mynaportal to display the necessary information for medical examinations.

In the event of a system failure, power outage, or equipment malfunction, you may be covered by insurance and receive medical care at a co-pay rate. To qualify, present your My Number Card and follow the necessary procedures. Please note that this does not guarantee a full co-pay rate.

Q12. There were data linking errors between My Number and Personal Information, and I am worried that my information may be linked to someone else's.

A12.

We would like to sincerely apologize for the concern caused regarding the data linking errors occurred between My Number and Personal Information.
As of April 2024, we have confirmed that all information is correctly linked to My Number by cross-referencing it with the information on the resident card. Now, when new members join the medical insurance system, the insurers cross-reference the registered information against the information on the resident cards during the registration process. This helps to prevent data linking errors between My Number and Personal Information. Besides, you can check your own information through Mynaportal.

Q13. When I used My Number Card registered as a Health Insurance Certificate at the hospital, it displayed "No Credentials". Please tell me how to register properly.

A13.

If you have recently changed jobs etc., please contact your insurer to confirm registration. According to laws and ordinances, it is required that the registration process for individuals who have newly obtained qualifications, such as through a job change, is completed within 10 days from the date of acquiring those qualifications.

Q14. My hospital or pharmacy won’t accept My Number Card. Do I need to bring both My Number Card and the Health Insurance Certificate with me?

A14.

Medical institutions and pharmacies that provide insured treatment must accept applications using My Number Card, except in certain cases, like when an elderly doctor manually handles the Statement of Medical Service Fees. If you encounter a facility or pharmacy that does not accept My Number Card, contact My Number Card General Counter at 0120-95-0178 for assistance. Moreover, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare can verify the situation if needed.

Require assistance due to illness or disability

Q15. How can elderly or disabled individuals receive their My Number Card?

A15.

Elderly or disabled individuals can receive their My Number Card through a proxy. To do this, you need to provide documents that verify both the identity of the applicant and the proxy. This includes submitting a power of attorney, a notification card, and documents that prove the applicant is unable to visit the counter, such as a medical or disability certificate indicating their inability to appear in person. If there are concerns about setting a PIN or managing the card by proxy, the applicant can apply for a face recognition My Number Card, which does not require a PIN.

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

A16.

The facial recognition terminals installed in medical institutions and pharmacies can be operated by using wide-angle lenses or adjusting the terminals so that people in wheelchairs can perform facial recognition without problem. However, if the reception counter is positioned too high to operate the device, the medical institutions and pharmacies can check the photo on your card and process your request using a visual mode. This visual mode will be improved in 2025 to better accommodate the needs of all patients.

Q17. Are there any advantages for medical institutions, pharmacies, and insurers if I use My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate?

A17.

Medical institutions and pharmacies usually receive 30% of medical fees from patients at the time of service, while they charge 70% to the insurer. The survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare in 2016 revealed that there were over 5 million cases in which claims had to be refunded by insurers due to changes in patients' insurance qualifications, often linked to job changes. By using My Number Card, medical institutions and pharmacies can access the most up-to-date information regarding a patient’s insurance status online. This ensures that even if a patient’s insurance status changes, medical fees can be claimed accurately. Furthermore, if medical information is shared between medical institutions and pharmacies, it will become possible to check for duplicate medications online. This will minimize the unnecessary medical examination, resulting in more efficient medical expenses.