insurance
Selected Hospital Fee / Initial Consultation Fee
選定療養費 (sentei ryōyōhi)
The selected hospital fee (選定療養費, sentei ryōyōhi) is an extra charge levied by large Japanese hospitals when a patient visits without a referral letter from a smaller clinic. Since 2016, hospitals with 200 or more beds must collect this fee, typically ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 yen or more, to discourage patients from bypassing neighborhood clinics and going directly to large hospitals for routine care.
Foreigners visiting large university or general hospitals in Japan without a referral letter (紹介状) will be charged this fee in addition to their normal copayment.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Selected Hospital Fee / Initial Consultation Fee |
| Japanese (日本語) | 選定療養費 |
| Chinese (中文) | 选定疗养费 |
| Korean (한국어) | 선정 요양비 |
| Portuguese | Taxa de hospital selecionado |
| Spanish | Tarifa de hospital seleccionado |
| Filipino | Selected hospital fee |
| Thai | ค่าเลือกสถานพยาบาล |
| Vietnamese | Phí chọn bệnh viện |
| Romanization | sentei ryōyōhi |
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Read the guide →Last reviewed: September 2026