Integration of My Number and health insurance cards accelerating

With the government aiming to integrate health insurance cards into My Number cards in the fall of next year, medical institutions will be required in principle to accept My Number cards with health insurance functions starting this month.

However, concerns remain among medical and welfare workers who worry about the possibility of people who don’t own My Number cards having difficulty seeing a doctor, or issues related to handling the My Number cards of patients and welfare service users.

“If (health insurance cards are) integrated into My Number cards, the burden of safekeeping them will become incomparably tougher,” said an official from an intensive care home in Gifu Prefecture.