過去最高の４３兆３９００億円　１８年度医療費―厚労省

　厚生労働省は３０日、２０１８年度に病気やけがの治療で医療機関に支払われた国民医療費（確定値）が、前年度比０．８％増の４３兆３９４９億円だったと発表した。１人当たりでは同１．０％増の３４万３２００円で、医療費全体、１人当たりともに過去最高を更新した。
　診療報酬改定による削減効果を、高齢化や医療の高度化などの要因が上回った。年齢階層別では、６５歳以上の高齢者の総額が２６兆２８２８億円で、全体の６割超を占める。（2020/11/30-17:59）

Medical expenses in Japan in fiscal 2018 rose 0.8 pct from the previous year to a record 43,394.9 billion yen, the health ministry said in a final report Monday.
   In the year that ended in March 2019, per capita expenses for treatment at hospitals and clinics grew 1.0 pct to 343,200 yen, also an all-time high.
   Efforts to cut medical costs, including revisions to fees to be paid to medical institutions under health and medical insurance schemes, failed to offset expense increases caused by the rapidly aging population and sophistication of medical services, the ministry pointed out.
   Expenses by people aged 65 or older totaled 26,282.8 billion yen, accounting for over 60 pct of the total.
   The report also showed that medical insurance benefits including payments under the national health insurance scheme inched down 0.1 pct to 19,729.1 billion yen, while expenses covered by the medical insurance system for the late-stage elderly aged 75 or older rose 1.9 pct to 15,057.6 billion yen.