A government panel of experts has begun a full review of how much elderly people with means should pay toward nursing care insurance, as a growing elderly population drives up the number of people using the services. The panel will examine counting financial income, such as investment returns, when setting premiums and copayments.
Nursing care insurance — the public system that funds services such as home help and day care for elderly people — is financed by premiums and taxes. As more people draw on it, the question of who pays has become harder to avoid.
The panel's discussions are at an early stage. The source does not say when it will report or what specific changes it is considering beyond financial income.
Other changes already in motion
The review follows separate moves on how elderly people pay for care. Premiums for people aged 75 and over are set to reflect financial income from August 2029, and the ruling parties have confirmed a plan to draw up a timetable by the end of the year for reviewing the 30 percent copayment at the counter for people aged 70 and over.
The government is also revising payments to care providers, with better pay and conditions for care workers among the issues under discussion.