LDP-Komeito, Nippon Ishin agree to phase out redundant hospital beds
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition and opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai agreed Thursday to remove up to 110,000 redundant hospital beds across the country in an effort to reduce social security costs.
The three parties will formalize the agreement soon with the aim of including the reduction in the government's upcoming economic and fiscal policy guidelines, which will be adopted in June.
Nippon Ishin estimates that removing 110,000 hospital beds would save around ¥1 trillion ($6.9 billion) in medical costs. "The three parties share the same recognition (about the effect of reducing hospital beds)," Ryohei Iwatani, Nippon Ishin's secretary-general, told reporters after meeting with officials from the LDP and Komeito earlier on Thursday.
"We have reached an agreement (on the reduction of hospital beds)," former health minister Norihisa Tamura of the LDP said. "It doesn't make sense to maintain unnecessary beds."
The three parties also agreed to raise the adoption rate of electronic medical records to 100% within the next five years.
Meanwhile, they will continue talks on Nippon Ishin's proposal to stop health insurance coverage for drugs containing elements similar to over-the-counter medicines.
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