60% Unaware of 'Revisions to the High-Cost Medical Care Benefit System'
A survey by Monicle Financial reveals that 62.2% of people are unaware of upcoming revisions (increased out-of-pocket limits) to the high-cost medical care benefit system in 2026/2027, with over half expressing anxiety over future medical expenses and relying heavily on savings.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 10:58 (26 min after Collected)
Monicle Financial Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Shinji Harada) conducted an "Awareness Survey on High-Cost Medical Care Benefits" targeting 700 men and women over 20 years old, using an external research company, as a survey project for its insurance comparison and estimation service "Hoken no Cospa" (https://hokencospa.jp/).
Amid an aging population with a declining birthrate and the advancement of medical technology, the out-of-pocket maximum limit of the "High-Cost Medical Care Benefit System" is scheduled to be revised in two stages in August 2026 and August 2027 in order to make the system sustainable. However, the results of this survey highlight the low level of awareness of the current system and the lingering anxiety about medical expenses despite the existence of public guarantees.
[Survey Overview]
Survey name: Questionnaire on Health and Medical Expenses
Survey subject: Monicle Financial Co., Ltd.
Survey target: 700 men and women aged 20 and older
Survey period: March 9, 2026 to March 15, 2026
Survey method: Survey using Cross Marketing QiQUMO
■ Summary of Survey Results
62.2% answered that they "do not even know that the high-cost medical care benefit system will be revised."
55.7% said their "anxiety about medical expenses has increased" due to the system revision. The top two reasons for this anxiety are "the burden on household finances such as soaring prices" and "unclear specific out-of-pocket amounts."
About 70% of those who have used the system in the past feel a "burden or anxiety" about paying, and payments rely heavily on "savings."
More than half predict that the system revision will have an impact at the level of "depleting savings / making life difficult."
■ Survey Results Details
System revision to match the times, but a major issue with awareness
Regarding the increase in the out-of-pocket maximum limit of the high-cost medical care benefit system from 2026, 62.2% of all respondents "did not even know that it would be revised."
Furthermore, under the current system, only 11.6% accurately understand their own "out-of-pocket maximum limit" based on their current income. About half are from groups lacking understanding, such as "do not know the name or content of the system" (22.1%) and "hardly understand the content" (24.3%), suggesting that the current situation is one where people are failing to correctly grasp the current state of the guarantees protecting them and the fact that these guarantees are shrinking.
More than half have increased anxiety about future medical expenses. The reasons are "high prices" and "unseen amounts."
When informed of the content of the system revision, 55.8% (23.2% "increased greatly" + 32.6% "increased somewhat") responded that their anxiety about future medical expenses had increased.
The top two reasons for the increased anxiety were "the burden on household finances such as soaring prices" (47.4%) and "unclear specific out-of-pocket amounts" (47.2%). This was followed by voices saying, "I'm anxious about whether savings alone will be enough" (38.7%).
The root causes of anxiety are thought to be the reduction in household leeway due to recent inflation and the "lack of predictability" caused by the inability to grasp one's future expenditure amounts.
Lingering concerns even when receiving benefits from public systems. Medical expense payments rely on "savings."
When asked about past experience with hospitalization and surgery, and the use of the high-cost medical care benefit system, a majority of the total (53.8%) responded that they "have experience with hospitalization and surgery," and of those, more than half had used the system.
However, even among those who had actually experienced hospitalization and surgery in the past and used the high-cost medical care benefit system, 68.1% of the total (29.6% "felt a great burden/anxiety" + 38.5% "felt some burden/anxiety") felt a burden or anxiety about paying.
When asked how they cover their out-of-pocket expenses in an emergency, the top answer was "own or family savings," accounting for an overwhelming 70.7%. On the other hand, those who utilized "benefits from private medical/cancer insurance" remained at 31.5%. While it became clear that many people pay with cash on hand, it was also found that 7.4% were in a situation where they had no choice but to rely on "credit card installments or loans."
With the system revision, over 50% answer that "life will become difficult / savings will be depleted"
When asked about the impact this system revision would have on their household finances in the unlikely event of hospitalization or surgery, it was found that a majority of 52.9% believe it will have a serious impact at the level of "depleting savings" (33.3%) or "making life difficult" (19.6%).
■ Comment from the person in charge of "Hoken no Cospa"
In this survey, more than 60% of people did not know about the revision of the high-cost medical care benefit system, and only 10% answered that they knew their own out-of-pocket maximum limit.
No one knows when they might be hospitalized due to illness or injury. Without correct knowledge about public systems, one might panic over unexpected expenses. We want to support people so that they can receive treatment with peace of mind without reducing their savings in the unlikely event of an emergency...
Amid an aging population with a declining birthrate and the advancement of medical technology, the out-of-pocket maximum limit of the "High-Cost Medical Care Benefit System" is scheduled to be revised in two stages in August 2026 and August 2027 in order to make the system sustainable. However, the results of this survey highlight the low level of awareness of the current system and the lingering anxiety about medical expenses despite the existence of public guarantees.
[Survey Overview]
Survey name: Questionnaire on Health and Medical Expenses
Survey subject: Monicle Financial Co., Ltd.
Survey target: 700 men and women aged 20 and older
Survey period: March 9, 2026 to March 15, 2026
Survey method: Survey using Cross Marketing QiQUMO
■ Summary of Survey Results
62.2% answered that they "do not even know that the high-cost medical care benefit system will be revised."
55.7% said their "anxiety about medical expenses has increased" due to the system revision. The top two reasons for this anxiety are "the burden on household finances such as soaring prices" and "unclear specific out-of-pocket amounts."
About 70% of those who have used the system in the past feel a "burden or anxiety" about paying, and payments rely heavily on "savings."
More than half predict that the system revision will have an impact at the level of "depleting savings / making life difficult."
■ Survey Results Details
System revision to match the times, but a major issue with awareness
Regarding the increase in the out-of-pocket maximum limit of the high-cost medical care benefit system from 2026, 62.2% of all respondents "did not even know that it would be revised."
Furthermore, under the current system, only 11.6% accurately understand their own "out-of-pocket maximum limit" based on their current income. About half are from groups lacking understanding, such as "do not know the name or content of the system" (22.1%) and "hardly understand the content" (24.3%), suggesting that the current situation is one where people are failing to correctly grasp the current state of the guarantees protecting them and the fact that these guarantees are shrinking.
More than half have increased anxiety about future medical expenses. The reasons are "high prices" and "unseen amounts."
When informed of the content of the system revision, 55.8% (23.2% "increased greatly" + 32.6% "increased somewhat") responded that their anxiety about future medical expenses had increased.
The top two reasons for the increased anxiety were "the burden on household finances such as soaring prices" (47.4%) and "unclear specific out-of-pocket amounts" (47.2%). This was followed by voices saying, "I'm anxious about whether savings alone will be enough" (38.7%).
The root causes of anxiety are thought to be the reduction in household leeway due to recent inflation and the "lack of predictability" caused by the inability to grasp one's future expenditure amounts.
Lingering concerns even when receiving benefits from public systems. Medical expense payments rely on "savings."
When asked about past experience with hospitalization and surgery, and the use of the high-cost medical care benefit system, a majority of the total (53.8%) responded that they "have experience with hospitalization and surgery," and of those, more than half had used the system.
However, even among those who had actually experienced hospitalization and surgery in the past and used the high-cost medical care benefit system, 68.1% of the total (29.6% "felt a great burden/anxiety" + 38.5% "felt some burden/anxiety") felt a burden or anxiety about paying.
When asked how they cover their out-of-pocket expenses in an emergency, the top answer was "own or family savings," accounting for an overwhelming 70.7%. On the other hand, those who utilized "benefits from private medical/cancer insurance" remained at 31.5%. While it became clear that many people pay with cash on hand, it was also found that 7.4% were in a situation where they had no choice but to rely on "credit card installments or loans."
With the system revision, over 50% answer that "life will become difficult / savings will be depleted"
When asked about the impact this system revision would have on their household finances in the unlikely event of hospitalization or surgery, it was found that a majority of 52.9% believe it will have a serious impact at the level of "depleting savings" (33.3%) or "making life difficult" (19.6%).
■ Comment from the person in charge of "Hoken no Cospa"
In this survey, more than 60% of people did not know about the revision of the high-cost medical care benefit system, and only 10% answered that they knew their own out-of-pocket maximum limit.
No one knows when they might be hospitalized due to illness or injury. Without correct knowledge about public systems, one might panic over unexpected expenses. We want to support people so that they can receive treatment with peace of mind without reducing their savings in the unlikely event of an emergency...