Overview
- Employer and public-employee health insurance cards expire on December 1 as the country shifts to My Number-based verification.
- Expired cards will still be accepted at medical desks through March 31, 2026 under a temporary measure to prevent disruptions.
- Patients who bring only an expired card during the grace period will pay their normal copayment rather than the full cost.
- The expiring cards cover about 28 million in health insurance societies, roughly 40 million in Kyokai Kenpo, and about 10 million in mutual aid associations.
- Many self-employed people and most residents aged 75 and older already saw cards lapse in July, and the same acceptance policy applies.