過去最高４３．６兆円　今年３月は減少―１９年度医療費

　厚生労働省は２８日、２０１９年度に病気やけがの治療で医療機関に支払われた概算の医療費（速報値）を発表した。高齢化や医療技術の高度化などにより、前年度比２．４％増の４３兆６０００億円となり、３年連続で過去最高を更新した。
　ただ、３月の概算医療費は、前年同月比で１．２％減となった。新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大に伴う受診控えが影響したとみられる。４月以降も減少が見込まれ、厚労省は「今後の動向を見極めたい」と話している。
　概算医療費は、公的医療保険や公費、患者の窓口負担分を集計したもので、全額自己負担や労災などは含まない。医療費全体を示す国民医療費の約９８％に相当する。（2020/08/28-16:43）

Medical expenses in Japan in fiscal 2019 grew 2.4 pct from the previous year to a record 43.6 trillion yen, the health ministry said in a preliminary report Friday.
   The amount of money paid to medical institutions for treating diseases and injuries hit an all-time high for the third straight year, reflecting the country's aging population and advances in medical technologies.
   Expenses stood at 17.6 trillion yen, or 40.5 pct of the total, for inpatient treatment, 14.9 trillion yen, or 34.1 pct, for outpatient treatment and 7.7 trillion yen, or 17.8 pct, for dispensing medicines.
   Per-capita expenses rose by 8,000 yen to 345,000 yen. Medical expenses for those aged 75 or over averaged 952,000 yen, over four times the average of 226,000 yen for those under 75.
   The reported medical expenses represent the total amount of payments from the public health insurance system, other public expenses and out-of-pocket costs shouldered by patients. Medical costs fully paid by patients and those covered by the worker compensation system are not included.