After you leave your employer
After leaving your employer, you will lose your eligibility for membership in the Health Insurance Society and must join the appropriate medical care insurance program based on your individual circumstances.
- Tips
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- Return your health insurance card soon after leaving employment.
- You can remain a member of the Health Insurance Society if you meet certain conditions.
- In some cases, you may continue to receive benefits even after losing your eligibility as an insured person.
Please return your health insurance card within five days after loss of eligibility as an insured person when you leave your employer. Thereafter, you must join the appropriate medical care insurance program based on your individual circumstances.
Medical care insurance available after leaving your employer
If you wish to remain covered by the Sony Health Insurance Society
In general, you will automatically lose your insurance coverage effective from the day after the date on which you leave the company. There are two systems under which you can remain an insured person under the Sony Health Insurance Society: the Voluntary Continuation Health Insurance System and the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System.
Join the Sony Health Insurance Society’s Voluntary Continuation Health Insurance System
The Voluntary Continuation Health Insurance System
Under this system, a person who has lost insurance coverage because he or she has left the company can provisionally retain his or her insured status over a certain period to avoid the risk of severe financial difficulties in the event he or she suffers an injury or illness before joining a new health insurance plan.
Who can become a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person
To become a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person, you must meet all of the following conditions (This system is based on Article 37 of the Health Insurance Act.):
- You must have lost your eligibility as an insured person under the health insurance system for specific reasons: for example, you left your employer.
- You must have been an insured person for at least two consecutive months prior to the date you lost your eligibility.
- You must apply to become a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person within 20 days after the date on which you lost your eligibility.
Note:You are ineligible to join the Voluntary Continuation Health Insurance System in either of the following cases:
- You were unable to receive, or failed to receive, the payment statement of insurance premiums sent from the Health Insurance Society after it received your Application to Join the Voluntary Continuation Health Insurance System. (This applies to cases related to problems with postal service conditions, including failure to request redelivery during the period the payment statement was retained at the post office, or inability to receive mail.)
- You failed to pay your first insurance premium by the designated payment deadline. (Make sure the Society receives payment by the deadline.)
How long you can be a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person?
You can be a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person for up to two years.
* Since you must join the Medical Care System for the Advanced Elderly when you reach the age of 75, you will lose your eligibility as a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person at that point, even if two years have yet to pass.
Insurance premiums you are required to pay
You must pay the full amount of the applicable insurance premiums yourself, including the amount paid by the insured person and the amount previously paid by your employer. The employer will not pay any portion of your premiums after you become a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person. Remember to pay the premiums by the 10th of each month.
You can pay insurance premiums monthly or in advance for a fixed period of time. Those paying in advance will receive statutory discounts on their premiums.
You can pay premiums in advance for one half-year (April through September or October through March) or one full year (April through March).
Contact the Health Insurance Society for more information.
How to pay your insurance premiums (based on Article 164 of the Health Insurance Act)
You can pay your insurance premiums monthly, semiannually, or annually. Prepaid premiums are discounted by 4% to account for the present value discounted at compound interest.
Whichever method you choose, remit your payment by the deadline indicated on the payment statement.
You can remit payments in various ways, including online bank transfers, bank ATMs, and remittances at bank counters.
| Monthly payment (paid monthly) |
Payment period: The first through the 10th days of each month (must be received by the Society during this period) * Not including first payment |
|---|---|
| Lump-sum payment (paid in advance) |
Choose semiannual or annual prepayment.
Periods for which you can prepay premiums
Deadlines for insurance premium prepayments
|
| Months in which you can change payment methods | Monthly payment, semiannual prepayment: February or August (change to take effect beginning with premiums for April or October) Annual prepayment: February (change to take effect beginning with premiums for April) |
Standard monthly remuneration
The standard remuneration used as the basis for calculating your insurance premiums is the lower of the following: (1) your standard monthly remuneration when you lost your eligibility; (2) the average standard monthly remuneration of all insured persons who are members of the Health Insurance Society at the end of September of the previous year.
* As specified in the statutes of the Health Insurance Society, standard remuneration may be calculated based on (1) above, even if (1) is higher than (2).
Details of insurance benefits
Although you will not receive Maternity Allowance or Injury and Sickness Allowance, you will receive all other statutory benefits and additional benefits in the same way as you did when you were with your employer.
* If you are eligible to receive benefits even after loss of eligibility, you will be paid Maternity Allowance or Injury and Sickness Allowance as well.
Loss of eligibility as a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person
You will lose your eligibility as a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person on the following day (the same day in cases 4 and 5) in any of the following cases:
- Two years have passed since the date you became an insured person.
- Upon your death
- You do not pay your insurance premiums by the date due.
- You begin employment and become an insured person under another health insurance or similar program.
- You join the Medical Care System for the Advanced Elderly as an insured person, etc.
- If you applied to have your status as a Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Person cleared, the last day of the month including the date on which the application was received
Join the Sony Health Insurance Society’s Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System
The Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System
This system for retirees (those receiving public pension benefits) is based on the Medical Care System for Retired Persons (abolished in fiscal 2014) formerly operated by municipal governments under National Health Insurance. It is now operated by the Sony Health Insurance Society in place of the municipal governments.
Persons who meet the eligibility requirements below and wish to join the Sony Health Insurance Society’s Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System (“Special-Case Retirees System” hereinafter) may do so until they are covered under the Medical Care System for the Advanced Elderly.
Those eligible to join the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System
To join the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System, you must satisfy all of the following requirements:
- You must have a certificate of residence in Japan.
- You must not be covered under the Medical Care System for the Advanced Elderly.
- You must be eligible to receive Old-Age Employees’ Pension benefits.
- You must have been a member of the Sony Health Insurance Society for at least 20 years in total (or 10 years since age 40. This includes periods of membership in the Sony Sales Health Insurance Society, the Aiwa Health Insurance Society, and the Display Technology Health Insurance Society.)
Application period and date joining the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System
The conditions under 1-4 above must be met, and the application must be submitted during the application period.
| Eligible persons | Application period | Date of acquiring eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Those eligible to receive pension benefits (*1) upon retirement
↓ Eligible to join the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System if their period of membership in the Sony Health Insurance Society meets the requirements (*2) |
Apply within 20 days after the day following the date of retirement. | Eligibility acquired retroactive to the day following the date of retirement |
| Apply within three months after receiving the pension certificate. | Eligibility acquired as of the date of acceptance | |
| Those not eligible to receive pension benefits (*1) upon retirement ↓ Eligible to join the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System if their period of membership in the Sony Health Insurance Society meets the requirements (*2) at the time they become eligible to receive pension benefits (*1) |
Apply within 20 days after loss of eligibility (*3). (For dependents or members of National Health Insurance, apply within 20 days after the date of acquiring eligibility to receive pension benefits.) |
Eligibility acquired retroactive to the date of loss of eligibility (For dependents or members of National Health Insurance, retroactive to the date of acquiring eligibility to receive pension benefits) |
| Apply within three months after receiving the pension certificate. | Eligibility acquired as of the date of acceptance |
- (*1) Eligibility to receive pension benefits
Eligibility to receive old age (retirement) pension or aggregate old age (retirement) pension
- (*2) Date of acquiring eligibility when applying for the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System after first joining the Sony Health Insurance Society’s Voluntary Continuation Health Insurance System or the health insurance society at a new employer, instead of joining the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System right after retirement
・Application within 20 days after loss of eligibility ⇒ Eligibility acquired retroactive to the date of loss of eligibility
・Application within three months after receipt of the pension certificate ⇒ Eligibility acquired as of the date of acceptance - (*3) For those joining the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System following retirement from another employer (another health insurance society) after acquiring eligibility to receive pension benefits
・Application within 20 days after loss of eligibility with the other employer (other health insurance society) ⇒ Eligibility acquired retroactive to the date of loss of eligibility
Period for which you can join the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System
You can join this system until you become eligible for the Medical Care System for the Advanced Elderly at age 75.
Insurance premiums payable
Health insurance premiums under the Special-Case Retirees System are uniform for all members, regardless of the insured person’s annual income or number of dependents. Premiums are calculated by multiplying the average standard monthly remuneration* (the basis for calculating health insurance premiums) by the Sony Health Insurance Society’s premium rate.
* Current statutes of the Sony Health Insurance Society:
The standard monthly remuneration of insured persons under the Sony Health Insurance Society’s Special-Case Retirees System is calculated as one-half of the sum of 1. + 2. below:
- Average standard monthly remuneration of all insured persons other than Special-Case Retirees System insured persons as of September 30 during the preceding fiscal year
- 1/12 of annual bonuses and other payments per person for all insured persons during the preceding fiscal year
Health insurance premiums and long-term care insurance premiums for Special-Case Retirees System insured persons in fiscal 2023 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Those aged 60-64 | Those aged 65-74 | ||
| Insurance premiums | 34,340 yen/month | Insurance premiums | 27,880 yen/month |
| Breakdown | Health insurance premiums: 27,880 yen | Breakdown | Health insurance premiums: 27,880 yen |
| Long-term care insurance premiums: 6,460 yen | |||
Health insurance premiums and long-term care insurance premiums for Special-Case Retirees System insured persons in fiscal 2024 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Those aged 60-64 | Those aged 65-74 | ||
| Insurance premiums | 34,340 yen/month | Insurance premiums | 27,880 yen/month |
| Breakdown | Health insurance premiums: 27,880 yen | Breakdown | Health insurance premiums: 27,880 yen |
| Long-term care insurance premiums: 6,460 yen | |||
Details of insurance benefits
Although you will not receive Maternity Allowance or Injury and Sickness Allowance, you will receive all other statutory benefits and additional benefits in the same way as you did when you were with your employer.
Loss of coverage as a Special-Case Retirees System insured person
Those meeting the following descriptions will lose their eligibility as insured persons under the Special-Case Retired Individuals Medical Care System as of the applicable date (the day after in cases under 5-8 below).
- You become eligible for coverage under the Medical Care System for the Advanced Elderly (at age 75 or age 65 with authorization).
- You become an insured person under another health insurance plan (you start a new job).
- You become a dependent under another health insurance plan.
- You become subject to the Public Assistance Act.
- In the event of your death
- You relocate overseas (and no longer maintain a registered residence in Japan).
- You fail to pay your premiums by the payment deadline.
- If you applied to have your status as a Special-Case Retirees System insured person cleared, the last day of the month including the date on which the application was received
Caution
Note that you will lose your coverage and be unable to rejoin the system if you fail to pay your premiums by the deadlines indicated.
Join the National Health Insurrance system
Overview of this system
- This is a public system (operated by your municipal government) anyone can join.
- Members are typically self-employed persons, such as shopkeepers and farmers.
- Retired salary-earning employees who are insured under National Health Insurance are eligible.
Eligibility
All Japanese citizens are eligible to join.
- Note: Those who do not join another health insurance plan after leaving the company are required to join National Health Insurance.
Period of membership
You are eligible to join until you begin working and become an insured person under the new employer’s health insurance plan or become a dependent under another health insurance plan.
Membership procedures
Complete the procedures at the National Health Insurance counter of your municipal government after you leave the company.
Premiums
- Premiums vary by municipality.
- For more information, contact your municipal government’s National Health Insurance counter.
Since April 2010, measures have been implemented to reduce National Health Insurance premiums. Under these measures, those who lose their jobs due to the bankruptcy of their employer or layoffs or to an employer’s decision not to renew an employment contract will be deemed to have income equal to 30% of their salary income in the previous year for the period starting from the day after the date of loss of employment through the end of the following fiscal year.
For those who are eligible, joining the National Health Insurance system may reduce the health insurance premiums they pay. Contact your municipal government in advance.
(You must apply to your municipal government to use these measures to reduce your National Health Insurance premiums.)
Becoming a dependent of your spouse or child
Overview of this system
In certain cases, you may be eligible to become a dependent if your income declines after you leave the company. In such cases, you will become a dependent of the provider family member (an insured person under a health insurance plan).
Eligibility
You must satisfy the requirements of the insurance plan you wish to join.
- * These requirements are identical to the requirements for eligibility as a dependent under the Sony Health Insurance Society.
Period of membership
You will be a dependent under the relevant health insurance plan for as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
Membership procedures
The provider family member (an insured person) must complete the membership procedures immediately after you leave the company.
Premiums
You do not need to pay any premiums. They will be paid by the insured person.
Insurance card
Insurance card from relevant health insurance plan
Copayment
30%
- * Additional benefits may be available, depending on the health insurance plan.