７５歳以上医療費、年収２００万円以上で決着　２割負担「２２年度後半」から・自公

　自民、公明両党は１０日、７５歳以上の後期高齢者の医療費窓口負担に関し、年収２００万円以上（単身世帯）の人を１割から２割に引き上げる方針で正式合意した。２０２２年度後半（２２年１０月～２３年３月）の間に導入する。対象者数は約３７０万人で、制度開始から３年間は外来患者の１カ月当たりの負担増を３０００円以内に抑える激変緩和措置も導入する。
　両党政調会長が同日、国会内で協議して一致した。導入時期については「２２年１０月以降」とする公明党の主張を踏まえた形で、２２年夏の参院選への影響を避ける狙いとみられる。具体的な施行日は今後、政令で決める。政府は近く開催する全世代型社会保障検討会議の最終報告にこうした方針を盛り込み、来年の通常国会に関連法案を提出する。
　負担引き上げをめぐっては、政府が年収１７０万円以上の人を対象とする案を示したのに対し、公明党は年収２４０万円以上まで絞り込むよう主張。調整が難航していたが、菅義偉首相（自民党総裁）と公明党の山口那津男代表が９日夜に会談し、歩み寄った。（2020/12/10-20:00）

Japan's ruling parties on Thursday formally agreed to double out-of-pocket medical expenses to 20 pct for people aged 75 and or over with an annual income of 2 million yen or more.
   The Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, decided to carry out the medical cost increase from the second half of fiscal 2022. They also agreed to implement measures to curb medical cost burdens for outpatients aged 75 or over for the first three years after the hike.
   Based on the LDP-Komeito agreement, the government plans to include details for the proposed medical cost hike in a final report to be compiled by a panel to discuss the country's social security system for all generations. The government will submit related legislation to next year's ordinary parliamentary session, to be convened in January.
   According to the welfare ministry, the number of people aged 75 or over who earn 2 million yen or more a year is estimated at about 3.7 million. The hike in burden is expected to reduce medical costs borne by working generations for people in the age bracket of 75 or over by 88 billion yen.
   The government initially proposed that the annual income threshold be set at 1.7 million yen or more, far lower than the 2.4 million yen or more sought by Komeito, which aims to minimize the scope of elderly people subject to a hike in out-of-pocket medical expenses. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, also LDP president, and Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi met halfway during their talks held Wednesday night.