Health care system reform : The shift to market principles and individual responsibility by deregulation

日本の医療保障制度は,国民皆保険制度の下,すべての国民が公的医療保険に加入をする仕組みになっている。その理念は,すべての国民に等しく必要な医療を保障するという生存権保障のための諸政策の一環である。しかしながら,医療費抑制策と経済活性化を目標とする近年の医療制度改革によって,その理念は崩壊の危機にある。無保険者の増加や患者の自己負担の増加によって,経済的理由による医療欠乏者が増えている。その一方で,富裕層を対象とした自由診療による医療機関が増加をしている。すなわち,健康と生命の領域にも所得格差が反映するアメリカ型の医療制度へとなりつつある。国民の生命と健康を守るために健康権に基づく医療制度改革へと転換をするべきである。
Japan has a medical security system whereby the population is requested to enroll in some kind of public health insurance scheme. The idea is part of various policies to assure the entire population of the right to life through health security. However, the idea is in danger of collapse by the recent reform of the health care system, which aims at activating economy and reducing health care costs. As patients' own expenses rise, many people are getting uninsured and medically underserved due to financial reasons. Meanwhile, the number of hospitals giving wealthy people medical treatment not covered by insurance has increased. That is to say, the system is shifting to the U.S.A. model, which projects income differences on health and life. It should be converted into a model based on the right to health in order to protect life and health of the population.
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