Tokyo: Japan’s welfare ministry said Monday it plans to raise nursing care insurance premiums for high-income earners aged 65 or over.

The ministry also said it plans to expand the scope of nursing care service users who pay 20-30 pct of fees out of their pockets, instead of 10 pct in principle.

Those plans are designed to make the country’s nursing care insurance program sustainable as costs are swelling due to a rapidly aging population.

The ministry put forward the plans at a working group meeting of the Social Security Council, which advises the welfare minister.

It will flesh out the details of the plans later this year for once-every-three-years nursing care insurance reform that is next scheduled for fiscal 2024.

Standard nursing care insurance premiums for people aged 65 or over, set by each municipality, currently average 6,014 yen per month.

Actual premiums range from 0.3 to 1.7 times the standard amount, depending on incomes and resident tax status.

JIJI Press