How much money can you get for pregnancy and delivery in Japan?

Yohji
Yohji

If you want to get pregnant, or if you are already pregnant, “how much money can you get for pregnancy and delivery?”  You may be worried.  You want to resolve your worries as soon as possible and spend your time calmly, and you want to clarify the necessary preparations in advance.  So in this article, I will explain how much money you can get.

Money that all pregnant women can get

When you get pregnant, you may be worried about how much money you will need.  However, in Japan, there is money that can be obtained by using the system prepared by the country.  “How much money will you get?”  Knowing what this article is about may mean that it was a waste of worry.

The money you can get for pregnancy and delivery includes the money that all pregnant women can get, the money that you can get according to the way you work, and the money that you can get if you meet the conditions.  
Let’s start with the money that all pregnant women can get.

Pregnant woman health checkup subsidy(妊婦健康診査助成 / にんぷ けんこう しんさ じょせい)

When you get pregnant, you have to be more careful about your physical condition than usual.  During pregnancy, you will have a maternity checkup to check the health of your pregnant woman and baby, but you may be burdened with the money you pay for your regular maternity checkups.

Therefore, you would like to use the “pregnant woman health checkup subsidy” system. The contents of the system differ slightly depending on the municipality where you live, but in Osaka City, for example, you will be issued an examination slip that allows you to receive 14 an examination free of charge.  With this examination slip, you can receive the necessary inspections during pregnancy at public expense.  (Approximately 120,000 yen)

However, please keep in mind that the system is not applicable if additional inspections are required depending on the condition of the pregnant woman or baby.

Pregnant women’s health checkup slips are often issued together with the  Mother and child health handbook, so difficult procedures are not required. The Mother and child health handbook is a pregnancy record table given to pregnant women.  If you are diagnosed as pregnant at a medical institution, you can submit a pregnancy notification(妊娠届 / にんしん とどけ) to the reception of your city or ward office and it will be issued on the spot.

To apply for a pregnancy notification, you will need a photo identification document, an Individual Number (My Number Card), and a medical examination ticket from a medical institution that has undergone a pregnancy diagnosis (some municipality do not require it).  Please prepare these documents in advance before going to the city or ward office.

Delivery and childcare lump sum payment(出産育児一時金 / しゅっさん いくじ いちじきん)

If a person who is 4 months or older pregnant and has health insurance or national health insurance gives birth, a “lump-sum delivery and childcare allowance” (出産育児一時金 / しゅっさん いくじ いちじきん)of 420,000 yen will be paid for each child.

Since it is a system to reduce the financial burden required for delivery, if you use the “direct payment system” (直接支払制度 / ちょくせつ しはらい せいど)in which medical institutions bill and receive on behalf of pregnant women, you will not have to pay the full amount of delivery costs at the counter when you leave the hospital.  For those who are worried about the hospitalization fee at the time of delivery, the anxiety may be alleviated ? However, some medical institutions do not have a “direct payment system”, so please check in advance.

If you do not use the “direct payment system”, you will have to pay the delivery fee at the reception when you leave the hospital, and then you will be billed directly to your health insurance association or municipality.

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Money that working pregnant women can get

Delivery allowance(出産手当金 / しゅっさん てあてきん)

The “Delivery allowance” is an allowance that a working pregnant woman receives from her employer’s health insurance.

There is a period when you cannot work due to delivery, and when your income decreases, you become anxious, but this system reduces that anxiety and financial burden.  The benefit period is from 42 days before the date of delivery (or the original expected date of delivery if the delivery is after the expected date of delivery) to the 56th day after the day after the delivery, allowance will be paid. The following three conditions are eligible for benefits.

  • You must have health insurance at your place of employment (health insurance association, Japan Health Insurance Association(協会けんぽ / きょうかい けんぽ), etc.)
    * Not covered by National Health Insurance(こくみん けんこう ほけん)
  • Delivery after 4 months of pregnancy
  • Being absent from work due to delivery

If you have health insurance at your place of employment, you can get benefits even if you work part-time.  Not only delivery after 4 months of pregnancy, but also miscarriage and stillbirth are eligible for benefits.

The amount to be paid is calculated by the following formula.

(Average amount of standard monthly remuneration for the last 12 months) ÷ 30 days x (2/3)


Example 1)
When the average amount of standard monthly remuneration for the past 12 months is 200,000 yen. If you take a leave of absence for 40 days.

200,000yen / 30days * (2 / 3) = 4,444yen
4,444yen * 40days = 177,760yen


Example 2)
When the average amount of standard monthly remuneration for the past 12 months is 300,000 yen. If you take a leave of absence for 40 days.

300,000yen / 30days * (2 / 3) = 6,666yen
6,666yen * 40days = 266,664yen

Standard monthly remuneration in Tokyo. The amount varies depending on the municipality.
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Money that pregnant women who meet the conditions can get

High-cost medical treatment system(高額療養費制度 / こうがく りょうようひ せいど)

It is not applicable if you give birth by natural delivery without any trouble, but if you perform a Caesarean section or suction delivery, you will be subject to the “high-cost medical treatment system”.

This system is not limited to delivery, but is eligible for payment if the monthly medical expenses exceed the upper limit.  The amount of payment will exceed the maximum amount, and the maximum amount will vary depending on your income.

By using the system, you do not have to pay more than the maximum out-of-pocket medical expense.

If you meet the conditions, apply to your health insurance association or municipality (if you have National Health Insurance) to complete the procedure.

 You can tell which health insurance you have by looking at your health insurance card.

Injury and sickness allowance(傷病手当金 / しょうびょう てあてきん)

The “Injury and Sickness Allowance” is a system that can be used when taking a break from work before maternity leave due to heavy birth or imminent premature birth.

It is used when you cannot get a job due to illness or injury other than work other than pregnancy and take a rest for 4 consecutive days or more.  To apply for the injury and sickness allowance, a medical certificate issued by a doctor is required, and it costs 3000 to 5000 yen. It will be paid about 2 months after applying for the allowance. The “Injury and sickness Allowance” applies to women who have health insurance at their place of employment, and is not covered by National Health Insurance.

The amount of payment varies from person to person, and the calculation formula is as follows.

(Average amount of standard monthly remuneration for the last 12 months) ÷ 30 days x (2/3)  (Amount per day)

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Prenatal and postnatal leave insurance premium exemption system(産前産後休業保険料免除制度 / さんぜん さんご きゅうぎょう ほけんりょう めんじょ せいど)

When you become pregnant, you may not be able to work and you may be responsible for paying social insurance premiums.  Therefore, We would like to use the “prenatal and postnatal leave insurance premium exemption system”.

If you use this system, you will be exempted from social insurance premiums (health insurance and welfare annuity insurance) during the period when you were absent from work due to pregnancy or delivery. Your future pension will not be reduced and you will still be able to use your health insurance as usual. Apply through your place of employment during the prenatal and postnatal leave. If you do not use this system, you will have to pay social insurance premiums even during your pregnancy leave.

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Yohji
Yohji

The above is the money you can get from the local government and health insurance association during pregnancy and delivery.  Pregnancy and delivery require a lot of money, so please use each system.  If you find this article useful, I like it!  I would be happy if you could share it with me.

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1 COMMENT

Floyd Mcquillen

Howdy! This post could not be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this article to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!

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