About health insurance

“Health insurance” provides readiness for unforeseen circumstances

Events such sickness or injury, time off from work made necessary by sickness or injury, or childbirth and death can result in unforeseen expenses and threaten one's livelihood due to loss of income. To prepare for such situations, a public medical care insurance system collects insurance premiums paid regularly by its members and draws on these financial resources to fund insurance benefits when people need them. Health insurance is one such public medical care insurance system.

“The health insurance organizations” that provide health insurance

A Health Insurance Organization is a public corporation that handles the tasks related to providing health insurance. Establishments that employ 700 or more employees on a continual basis or that include 3,000 or more employees in the same types of business or industry are eligible to establish health insurance organizations with the permission of the Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.

FR Health Insurance Organization was established on April 1, 2011.

Roles of a Health Insurance Organization

1. Insurance benefits: chiefly medical care benefits

Covers medical care costs and pays various benefits for insured persons and their dependents in the event of sickness or injury, time off from work made necessary by sickness or injury, or childbirth and death.

2.Health activities: Improving member health

These activities include efforts to support improvements in the health of insured persons and dependents.
A Health Insurance Organization provides various such services, including providing health information, opportunities for various preventative health examinations and use of athletic facilities and lodges.

Autonomous and democratic operations

A Health Insurance Organization is run autonomously and democratically within the boundaries specified by the Health Insurance Act, by a board with membership consisting of one-half employer representatives and one-half employee representatives.

Organization of the Health Insurance Organization

Organization Committee	Like the national parliament, the Organization Committee is the highest deliberative organ within the society's organization. It determines what the organization will do and how it will do it. It makes decisions on important matters such as rules, insurance premiums, business plans, budgets, and settlement of accounts. The Organization Committee membership consists of equal numbers of appointed Committee members chosen by the employer and elected Committee members elected by insured persons.
Board of Directors	Much like the national government, the Board of Directors is the body that executes the decisions of the Organization Committee. The Board membership consists of equal numbers of directors chosen from the appointed Committee members and elected Committee members.
Chairman of the Board	One chairman of the Board is selected from among the directors chosen from appointed Committee members. The chairman represents the organization and has the highest level of responsibility for organization management.
Managing Directors	With the consent of the Board of Directors, the chairman of the Board appoints Managing Directors from among the directors. Managing Directors assist the chairman and handle matters as needed for regular organization business management.
Auditors	Two Auditors, one chosen from each of the appointed and elected Committee members, audit the organization's business execution and financial conditions.