Health insurance unions, which include employees of large companies, are expected to record a deficit of 82.5 billion yen for the first time in eight years due to factors such as an increase in contributions to medical expenses for the elderly.
According to the financial results for the previous fiscal year and FY2021 compiled by the Federation of Health Insurance Societies (Federation of Health Insurance Societies), the total income of the association was 8,384.1 billion yen, with insurance premiums increasing by 1% from the previous fiscal year. .
The expenditure for this is 460 billion yen due to an 8.7% increase in insurance benefits and an increase in medical expenses for the elderly compared to the previous fiscal year when there was a refrain from medical examination due to the spread of the new corona infection. The surplus of the yen increased to 8,466.6 billion yen.
As a result, the balance of payments turned into a deficit of 82.5 billion yen, a complete turnaround from a surplus of approximately 300 billion yen in the previous fiscal year.
The deficit is the first time in 8 years since 2013.
Of the 1,388 affiliated unions, more than half, 740 unions, were in the red, and the number of deficit unions increased by 282 from the previous year.
Regarding the outlook for the future, the Health Insurance Federation expects the balance of payments to improve temporarily this fiscal year, but from next fiscal year onwards, further increases in medical expenses for the elderly are expected to worsen the financial situation.