As the cost of long-term care continues to increase, an expert committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare held a meeting on the 7th to discuss whether to increase the co-payment paid by the elderly when they receive long-term care services. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare will carefully consider the budget formulation process and will finalize the policy by the end of this year.
Currently, the percentage of out-of-pocket payments for using nursing care services is 1% in principle, but 280% for single-person households with an annual income of 2.340 million yen or more, and 3% for those with an annual income of <>.<> million yen or more.
However, with the rapid aging of the population, the cost of long-term care continues to increase, and public expenses such as long-term care insurance premiums and taxes paid by the working generation who do not use services are also increasing.
Under these circumstances, at a meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's expert committee held on the 7th, there was a discussion on whether to increase the number of users who currently pay 1% of their own expenses when receiving nursing care services to 2%, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare presented a rough estimate of the number of people who are eligible to pay 2% and the expected cost reduction effect if the number of people who receive nursing care services is increased.
According to this, for example, if the lower limit of the 2% burden is lowered
by 280,10 yen from the current 270.8 million yen to people with an annual income of 90.190 million yen or more, the number of people eligible will increase by 75,800 people, and the reduction effect will be <> billion yen
. ▽ If the average annual income of pension recipients is <>.<> million yen or more, the number of people eligible will increase by <>,<>, and the reduction effect will be <> billion yen.
A member who attended the meeting expressed the opinion that, "Considering the current state of insurance finances, it is unavoidable to increase the burden on users," while others expressed the opinion that "an increase in the burden on the elderly in the midst of extremely difficult living conditions due to high prices and other factors may lead to the loss of necessary nursing care services, and such a situation should be avoided."
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has stated that it is necessary to proceed with this discussion on self-payment at the same time as the revision of the long-term care fee paid to long-term care providers, and will carefully consider it in the budget formulation process and finalize the policy by the end of this year.