Integration of health insurance cards and My Number cards

In this article, we will explain in detail the background, benefits, challenges, and future prospects of the integration of health insurance cards and My Number cards.

For a long time, paper-based management using health insurance cards was the mainstream in Japan's medical system. However, with the wave of digitalization, My Number cards have been introduced and a system for centralized management of personal information is being established.

My Number cards have become an important tool used in areas such as taxes, social security, and disaster prevention, and integration with health insurance cards is required to take advantage of their convenience.

Benefits of integration

1. Improved convenience
   By integrating health insurance cards and My Number cards, procedures at medical institutions will be smoother. This will allow patients to receive medical services with a single card, reducing complicated procedures.
2. Centralized management of information
   The My Number card will enable centralized management of personal health and insurance information. This will facilitate smooth information sharing between medical institutions and strengthen cooperation in patient treatment.
3. Improved administrative efficiency
   The integration of health insurance cards and My Number cards will also contribute to the efficiency of data management in government agencies. By eliminating the need to manage duplicate information, it is expected that costs will be reduced and work will become more efficient.

There are also several challenges and concerns regarding the integration effort.

1. Ensuring security
   As centralized management of personal information progresses, there are concerns that the risk of information leakage and unauthorized access will increase. Since a safe system and information management are required, sufficient security measures are necessary.
2. Understanding and education of users
   As we transition to a new system, it is essential to educate the public and promote their understanding. Appropriate information provision is required, especially for the elderly and those who are unfamiliar with digital technology.
3. Response of medical institutions
   There are also cost and technical challenges associated with the introduction and operation of the system on the medical institution side. In particular, in rural medical institutions, the development of IT infrastructure may be delayed, which may affect the progress of integration.

The integration of health insurance cards and My Number cards is expected to play an important role in future medical system reforms. In a society where digitalization is progressing, creating an environment in which citizens can receive more convenient and efficient medical services will lead to improved health management.

In the future, it is important for the government and related organizations to cooperate to strengthen security and improve user education, as well as support the development of IT infrastructure at medical institutions. This is expected to facilitate the integration effort and improve health management for the entire nation.

The integration of health insurance cards and My Number cards is an important measure that not only increases convenience for citizens, but also contributes to the efficiency of the entire medical system. There are many challenges to achieving this, but by taking appropriate measures, it will be possible to create a better medical environment.