２割負担、来年１０月で調整　７５歳以上の医療費引き上げ―政府

　政府は１０日までに、一定以上の収入のある７５歳以上の高齢者の医療費について、窓口負担を１割から２割に引き上げる時期を２０２２年１０月からとする方向で調整に入った。今年６月に成立した医療制度改革関連法を受けた措置で、年末の予算編成で正式決定する。
　同法では、２割引き上げの時期を２２年１０月から２３年３月の間と定めており、政府は開始時期を調整していた。ただ、来夏に参院選を控えているため、与党内から新たな高齢者の負担増に慎重論が出る可能性もあり、流動的な要素も大きい。
　７５歳以上の後期高齢者の窓口負担は現在原則１割負担で、現役並みの所得（単身世帯では年収３８３万円以上）のある人は３割を負担している。それを、単身世帯で年収２００万円以上、夫婦世帯で年収計３２０万円以上の場合は２割負担に引き上げる。施行後３年間は激変緩和措置を講じる。（2021/12/10-09:57）

The Japanese government plans to raise the proportion of out-of-pocket medical expenses borne by some people aged 75 or over to 20 pct from the current 10 pct in October 2022, it was learned Friday.
   Currently, the share stands at 10 pct in principle and 30 pct for people with relatively large income, such as those who live alone and earn 3.83 million yen or more a year.
   Under the government plan, the share will be raised to 20 pct for people living alone and earning at least 2 million yen a year and for couples with a total annual income of 3.2 million yen or more, while measures to cushion the impacts of the hike will be implemented for three years after the change takes effect.
   But the timing of the hike could be fluid as some ruling bloc lawmakers may voice caution over the higher financial burden ahead of next summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, sources said.
   The Diet enacted in June medical system reform legislation, which calls for the hike to be made sometime between October 2022 and March 2023.