🏥 Heavy Rain: See a Doctor Without Your Insurance Card

❓ What's changing?

On August 14, 2026, the Japan Health Insurance Association (Kyokai Kenpo) announced a special measure for members affected by the disaster caused by the heavy rain that began on August 13, 2026. The key point: even if you lost your My Number insurance card or eligibility certificate ("insurance ID"), or evacuated leaving it at home, you can still receive medical care by telling the reception desk (1) your name, (2) date of birth, (3) contact details such as a phone number, and (4) the name of your employer's establishment. Normally, clinics and hospitals confirm your enrollment by having you present your insurance ID. Without it, the standard flow is to pay the full medical cost up front and later apply for a refund as "ryoyohi" (medical expense reimbursement). Under this measure, a verbal declaration replaces the document, so even with nothing on hand while evacuated you pay only the usual copayment at the counter. The measure covers municipalities to which the Disaster Relief Act has been applied. Kyokai Kenpo asks members to check the list of covered municipalities on the Cabinet Office website. It also notes that postal delivery is delayed in some areas because of the heavy rain, so mail from the Association (such as eligibility certificates) and mail sent to it (such as application forms) may take longer than usual.

👥 Who is affected?

• ●Kyokai Kenpo members (company employees) affected by the heavy rain from Aug 13, 2026, and their insured dependents
• ●Residents of municipalities where the Disaster Relief Act has been applied (check the list on the Cabinet Office website)
• ●Anyone who lost their My Number insurance card or eligibility certificate, or evacuated leaving it at home
• ●People in affected areas waiting for mail from Kyokai Kenpo (e.g. eligibility certificates) or planning to post application forms

🌏 Impact on foreign residents

Foreign nationals working for Japanese companies are covered by this measure too, as long as they are Kyokai Kenpo members. If you are staying at an evacuation shelter or a relative's home without your insurance ID, it is easy to assume "no card, no hospital" and put off treatment — but stating the four pieces of information at the reception desk lets you be seen at the usual copayment rate. Item (4), the name of your employer's establishment, matters most. Kyokai Kenpo coverage comes through your workplace, so being able to give the company name accurately in Japanese speeds up reception. Keep the Japanese spelling of your employer's name and its phone number in a note on your phone or in a note shared with your family. If explaining in Japanese worries you, you can also ask your company's HR contact or a Japanese-speaking friend to join by phone. Postal delays also affect foreign residents. If you are waiting for an eligibility certificate, or plan to mail a dependent registration or benefit application, plan on it taking longer than usual.