insurance
High-Cost Medical Expense Benefit
高額療養費 (kōgaku ryōyōhi)
The High-Cost Medical Expense Benefit (高額療養費, kōgaku ryōyōhi) caps the total out-of-pocket medical costs you pay in a single calendar month. Once your copayments exceed a monthly threshold — which varies by income bracket — your insurer reimburses the excess amount. This protects insured patients from catastrophic medical bills during serious illness or prolonged hospitalization, covering both inpatient and outpatient expenses.
Insured foreigners in Japan are entitled to apply for this benefit through their municipal office or insurer after a month in which medical costs exceeded their income-based threshold.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | High-Cost Medical Expense Benefit |
| Japanese (日本語) | 高額療養費 |
| Chinese (中文) | 高额医疗费报销制度 |
| Korean (한국어) | 고액 요양비 급여 |
| Portuguese | Benefício de despesas médicas elevadas |
| Spanish | Beneficio por gastos médicos elevados |
| Filipino | Benepisyo para sa mataas na gastos medikal |
| Thai | สิทธิประโยชน์ค่ารักษาพยาบาลสูง |
| Vietnamese | Trợ cấp chi phí y tế cao |
| Romanization | kōgaku ryōyōhi |
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Read the guide →Last reviewed: September 2026