４００超の病院に再編要請＝公立・公的が対象－厚労省

　厚生労働省は２６日、全国の公立病院と赤十字や済生会といった公的病院などのうち「再編統合の議論が必要」と位置付けた４２４の医療機関を、実名で公表した。７５歳以上の高齢者が急増する２０２５年度を念頭に、医療費の膨張を抑える観点から効率的な医療体制づくりを加速させるのが狙い。対象医療機関の扱いを２０年９月までに取りまとめるよう、近く都道府県に要請する。

　厚労省は、民間を含めた医療機関の再編に当たって、まずは財政と税制で優遇されている公立と公的を対象とする方針。ただ、公立病院などの見直しは暮らしに直接影響を及ぼすため、自治体や住民からの反発も強いとみられる。要請に強制力はなく、再編は難航も予想される。（2019/09/26-15:31）

Japan's health ministry published on Thursday a list of 424 public medical institutions it has deemed to be in need of discussions on consolidation and realignment.
   The move is aimed at speeding up streamlining efforts for the medical sector, to suppress ballooning medical cost ahead of a spike in the number of people aged 75 or older that is expected to occur in fiscal 2025.
   The ministry is expected to request prefectures soon to draw up plans by September 2020 for dealing with the targeted medical institutions, which include publicly run hospitals and hospitals operated by the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Saiseikai Imperial Gift Foundation.
   The health ministry is looking to first focus on public institutions, which receive public financial incentives and tax benefits, in its sectorwide reform plan that also targets private medical institutions.
   However, the approach is expected to trigger strong opposition from municipalities and citizens as reviews of public hospitals and similar institutions will directly affect people's lives. The reform efforts are likely to face difficulties, especially as the ministry request will not have binding power.