A Pain Reliever Led Me to Reflect on My Medical Expenses: What Illness Has Taught Me - July 3, 2026 (Fri) Reiwa8

Today, I found myself thinking about my pain medication.

Yesterday, I had left several hospital receipts and medical billing statements on my desk without organizing them. Today, I finally decided to sort through them.

As I did, a question suddenly came to mind.

"How much has this broken bone actually cost me?"

Until now, I had kept my receipts mainly for insurance claims and tax deductions. This time, however, my attention was drawn to a number written on the medical statement: the medical fee points.

For my surgery, it said "34,722 points."

For the first time, I wondered what those points actually meant.

After looking into it, I learned something new.

In Japan's medical fee system, one point is equivalent to 10 yen. What I paid was only part of the total medical cost because my health insurance covered most of the expense.

Although I paid only 30 percent of the bill, the actual cost of my medical care was much higher.

Once again, I realized how much I have been supported by Japan's health insurance system.

As I reflected on this, memories from my younger days came back.

When I developed facial nerve palsy, I desperately wanted to recover, so I went for acupuncture treatments.

While struggling to pay several thousand yen for each visit, I learned for the first time about Japan's medical expense tax deduction system.

Since then, for nearly forty years, I have filed a medical expense deduction every single year.

I organized receipts by hospital, sorted prescription records, arranged everything in chronological order, and calculated not only my own expenses but also my husband's.

I also prepared applications for reimbursements from our mutual aid association.

It was never an easy task.

No one wishes to become ill.

But because of those experiences, I gradually learned how Japan's medical system, insurance, and medical expenses work.

Today, something else made me happy.

At yesterday's appointment, my doctor told me,

"You can start using your elbow. It will help with your rehabilitation."

Following that advice, I gently moved my elbow while taking a shower today.

I still have many limitations.

Even so, I was finally able to tie my own hair again, and taking a shower became a little easier.

It may seem like only a small improvement, but to me, it was a significant step forward.

What began as a day of thinking about pain medication ended as a day of reflecting on my recovery and on everything I have learned through many years of living with illness.

Illness is never something we hope for.

Yet I believe that what illness has taught me has undeniably shaped the person I am today.

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