Plan · Travel insurance

Travel insurance,
not an option

In Japan, a tourist pays the price the hospital sets, often upfront. The UK government says to expect to pay the whole cost of treatment; Canada's urges insurance that covers hospital stays and medical evacuation.

Treated in Japan, without insurance

1. At the hospital, full price

   Without Japanese health insurance, the hospital sets its own rate: more than one in ten charges above the national scale. Some clinics don't take bank cards.

2. At discharge, pay upfront

   Foreign patients are often asked to pay before leaving, or to prove they will.

3. Back home, little or nothing back

   Medicare usually doesn't cover care outside the US; Quebec's plan pays at most CA$100 per day in hospital. Check what your own plan covers.

4. An unpaid bill follows you

   Since 2021, hospitals report unpaid bills to Immigration: from 10,000 ¥ since April 2026, with stricter checks when you next enter Japan, or even refusal of entry.