From the 26th, life insurance companies have reviewed the hospitalization benefits that medical insurance subscribers are paying if they are infected with the new coronavirus, so that they will be limited to those who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill, such as the elderly.
Various voices were raised from people who visited inspection centers in Tokyo to receive tests to check whether they were infected with Corona.
About hospitalization benefits Until now, insurance companies have basically paid everyone, including "deemed hospitalization" where they are treated at home, etc. From the 26th, the target will be limited to those who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill, such as elderly people aged 65 and over who have been diagnosed with infection and patients who originally need to be hospitalized.
At the inspection center in Minato-ku, Tokyo, people came to receive PCR tests one after another on the afternoon of the 26th, and there were voices asking for the same response as before and voices that understood the review. .
A man in his 50s who is working alone in Tokyo said, "I'm trying not to get infected, but I'm still worried about it, and it would be nice if not only the elderly but also the young people could continue to receive benefits in the future. I don't think so," he said.
In addition, a man in his 30s living in Tokyo said, ``I was infected twice last year and this year, and I received insurance benefits for both, but I didn't have to pay for hotel or home treatment. It may have the meaning of (hoten), but the insurance company can't stand it anymore, so I think it can't be helped."
the expert is
We asked an expert about the review of the benefits.
Nobuyasu Uemura, a professor at Fukuoka University who is familiar with the insurance industry, said, ``It is still unthinkable to pay benefits for ``deemed hospitalization'', and the seriousness of the disease called corona was initially considered, such as the majority of patients with mild symptoms. It is reasonable to change the handling according to the government's response while it has changed considerably compared to .
In addition, he points out, ``Private medical insurance is just a supplement to public insurance. .
On the other hand, some experts point out problems with the current revision.
Koki Sato, senior analyst at Mizuho Securities, said, "Corona is still classified as Type 2 under the Infectious Diseases Act, and although it is subject to hospitalization recommendations, it is 'deemed hospitalization' to be treated at home due to the tightness of medical institutions. It would have been easier to understand if only the recipients of the benefits changed while this position remained unchanged. Are you sure?”