Page 17 - ASPIRE JANUARY 2023 Volume 8 / Issue 1

JAPAN
Expansion of insurance system for fertility treatment, and ‘add-ons’ are being evaluated
By Professor Yasushi Hirota Country Representative
Insurance coverage for reproductive medicine, including intrauterine insemination (IUI) and assisted reproductive technology (ART), began in April 2022.
Previously, IUI and ART were performed at the personal expense of patients.
A public subsidy scheme for ART was established in Japan in 2004 to assist infertile patients, and in September 2020 the Japanese Government announced an expansion of insurance coverage for reproductive medicine.
At that time, there were no clinical practice guidelines for ART in Japan.
In December 2020, the Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine (JSRM) began preparing a clinical practice guideline for reproductive medicine, which was published in November 2021. Based on this guideline, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare designed a new insurance system for infertility treatment.
JSRM also conducted questionnaire surveys on drugs not covered by health insurance. It then made an application to the Ministry.
Yasushi Hirota
As a result, most of these drugs are now covered by health insurance. Meanwhile, many add-ons, such as PGT-A and time-lapse imaging, are currently being evaluated by the Ministry for insurance coverage.
Medical professionals involved in assisted reproduction will continue their efforts to advocate on behalf of those experiencing with infertility, including public awareness about the costs of treatment.
Focus on insurance to help people meet the cost of fertility treatment
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