To the general public and patients

Social welfare system

Procedures in cases when the health insurance cards are changed

What kinds of procedures are required when my health insurance cards are changed?

Each medical institution's procedures are different. But please show your new insurance card to the bureau in charge at your local institution at the earliest date of your consultation, as soon as you have received your new insurance card.
If you have asked social workers or others for help with procedures on your behalf, please show the persons your new health insurance card and make sure that they conduct the required procedures.

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What should I do about the physical disability certificate, expenses for medical services and support for persons with disabilities, and medical support for the severely disabled (welfare medical services) when my health insurance card is changed?

As each system has different procedures, please refer to the chart shown below. If you have asked social workers or others for help with procedures on your behalf, please show the persons your new health insurance card and make sure that they conduct the required procedures.

Chart: Procedures required for changes to health insurance cards

Physical disability certificate
Procedures	No procedures are required.
Required items	-

Expenses for medical services and support for persons with disabilities (rehabilitation medical services)
Procedures	You are requested to register the information from your new health insurance card. Please do the procedures for change as soon as possible at such bureaus as the bureau in charge of welfare for the disabled at the municipality where you reside.
Required items	New health insurance card Expenses for medical services and support for persons with disabilities beneficiary card Physical disability certificate

Medical support for the severely disabled (welfare medical services)
Procedures	You are requested to register the information from your new health insurance card. Please do the procedures for change as soon as possible at such bureaus as the bureau in charge of welfare for the disabled at the municipality where you reside.
Required items	New health insurance card Medical support for the severely disabled (welfare medical service beneficiary card) Physical disability certificate

Required procedures and documents may vary according to each municipality and conditions of patients. Please contact such bureaus as the bureau in charge of welfare for the disabled at the municipality where you reside for details.

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What should I do about the specified disease medical treatment benefits (long-term), the congenital blood coagulation factor disorder beneficiary card, or the specified chronic childhood disease medical care certificate, when my health insurance cards are changed? (In cases where a person has hemophilia)

Chart: Procedures when your health insurance card is changed (In cases where a person has hemophilia)

Specified disease medical treatment benefits (long-term)
Procedures	You are requested to receive your new beneficiary card from the issuer of your new insurance card. Please contact the issuer of the new insurance card, ask them to send you the application form, and send it back to the insurer after filling in the required items.
Required items	Application form Doctor's certificate (this is on the application form)

Congenital blood coagulation factor disorder beneficiary card
Procedures	You are requested to apply for new registration at the prefectural government, the health center or other office that has jurisdiction over your new address.
Required items	Congenital blood coagulation factor disorder beneficiary card New health insurance card

Specified chronic childhood disease medical care certificate
Procedures	You are requested to apply for new registration at the prefectural government, the health center or other office that has jurisdiction over your new address.
Required items	Specified chronic childhood disease medical care certificate New health insurance card

Required procedures and documents may vary. Please contact the bureaus in charge or other places to confirm the details.

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6.Procedures for changes in status

Social welfare system