止めたはずの値上げが、夏に戻ってきた｜大病する氷河期に、入院費＋5,700円

Last year, a price increase that was halted due to public opposition is quietly returning this summer. The high-cost medical expense reimbursement system—which limits the amount you have to pay out of pocket in a month when you are hospitalized for a serious illness, and reimburses you for anything exceeding that limit—is a "last line of defense" that has been in place since 1973, protecting working people and their families from medical bankruptcy. This monthly limit will be raised from August 2026. For the core group of ordinary company employees with annual incomes of approximately 3.7 million to 7.7 million yen, the limit will rise from 80,100 yen to 85,800 yen. That's an increase of 5,700 yen per month. You might think, "It's only 5,700 yen." But this is just the beginning. Originally, this price increase was attempted once in 2024, but due to strong opposition from cancer and intractable disease patient groups, then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated on March 7, 2025, that "it is undesirable to implement it while causing anxiety," and the entire increase that summer was postponed. Your opposition certainly had an effect. However, "postponing" the plan was not a "withdrawal." The government temporarily withdrew the proposal to deflect criticism, while secretly redesigning it over the course of more than six months. The new plan that returned had a gentle label that read, "We will establish an annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses (530,000 yen for those with an annual income of approximately 3.7 to 7.7 million yen) = burden reduction." However, right behind that label, the monthly cap had been significantly increased. Pretending to lighten the burden while actually making it heavier—this is the core of their tactic. On May 29, 2026, the amendments to the Health Insurance Act and other related laws were passed by the Diet, and it is no longer "under consideration" but "a decided reality." The increase varies by income level, specifically targeting the working generation (August 2026, under 69 years old / monthly upper limit increases by income bracket: up to approximately 3.7 million yen: +3,900 yen, approximately 3.7 to 7.7 million yen: +5,700 yen, approximately 7.7 to 11.6 million yen: +11,700 yen, approximately 11.6 million yen or more: +17,700 yen. Those exempt from resident tax will see an increase of only +1,500 yen). Furthermore, in the second phase in August 2027, the income brackets will be further subdivided from the current five to thirteen. The more subdivided the brackets become, the easier it will be to slightly increase the burden on just one group. Once subdivided, this increase will not be a one-time event. It's important not to misunderstand: not everyone will pay an extra 5,700 yen every month. This is an increased burden that only applies in "that month" when medical expenses reach the upper limit due to a major illness. This is not meant to be alarmist; it's an accurate assessment of the facts. And the heaviest burden falls on the generation that experienced the job-hunting ice age. Now in their 40s and 50s, this is precisely the age when serious illnesses begin to increase. However, approximately 30-40% of single-person households in this age group have zero savings. Many were unable to secure full-time employment from the start, remaining in non-regular positions for many years, making it difficult for them to receive benefits like sick pay for sick leave. Their savings are meager, and their benefits are also meager. This generation, whose protections have been stripped away in two ways, finds itself at the age when illnesses are on the rise, standing at a newly raised threshold for protection. Your meager savings aren't due to laziness; they're a result of having limited employment opportunities and wages suppressed for a long time. They're further eroding the protections of those whose shields have been thinned. That's the wrong order. Instead of destroying the fortress of universal healthcare, they're quietly raising the threshold, subtly reducing the number of people who are protected—don't forget this tactic. ▼ Chapter Outline 0:00 Introduction | The price hike that was supposed to be stopped returns in the summer 1:49 Title 1:59 Chapter 1: A Frozen Spring – Stopped once due to opposition 3:36 Chapter 2: Changing the Signboard – Postponement wasn't a withdrawal 5:50 Chapter 3: Your Point of Contact – Who will pay how much more? 7:42 Chapter 4: A Thin Shield – The Ice Age shield is already thin 9:18 Chapter 5: The Fortress of Universal Healthcare – Quietly raising the entrance to the fortress 10:54 Epilogue – What face did something that was once stopped make when it returned? ▼ Main Quotes and References ・Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (Press conference, March 7, 2025) – After meeting with patient groups, he stated, "It is undesirable to implement the review while causing anxiety to the patients." This effectively amounts to a freeze, and the planned increase for the su...