Japan will stop charging extra for hospital visits by expectant mothers from next month amid criticism that the fee amounts to a tax on pregnancy and is applied even in cases where women do not need special care related to their pregnancy.
An advisory body to the health ministry approved the ministry's plan to suspend the charge from Jan. 1. The ministry is considering formally abolishing the extra fee when it conducts the next biannual medical payment system review for fiscal 2020.
Currently, the extra fee for a pregnant woman's first hospital visit is ¥750 and ¥380 is charged for each subsequent visit. With national health insurance covering 70 percent of the expenses, the cost to patients is ¥230 and ¥110, respectively.