Revision of Medical Service Fees: Make Use of Changes to Ensure Peace of Mind for Patients

Editorial

15:48 JST, February 20, 2026

The details of the latest revision to medical service fees — the compensation received by medical institutions for providing medical services — have been finalized.

The revision will significantly raise medical service fees with the aim of improving medical personnel’s wages while at the same time supporting hospitals that face increasingly difficult business conditions. It will be applied starting in June this year.

Medical service fees are government-set prices that are revised every two years. For medical services, unlike other services, the effects of rising costs or wage increases cannot be flexibly passed along in prices. Consequently, many hospitals have fallen into deficit in recent years.

It can be called reasonable to raise medical service fees to improve this situation so that the quality of medical care is maintained and patients’ peace of mind is ensured.

However, with the revision, the burden on patients will also be increased. The government must thoroughly explain the significance and necessity of the fee increase to gain public understanding.

In the fiscal 2026 revision decided on this time, the core portion of the fees, allocated for medical consultation costs and labor costs, will be increased by 3.09%. This marks the first increase exceeding 3% in 30 years.

Most of the increase will be allocated to wage hikes for medical personnel and others and addressing rising prices.

Specifically, a “price adjustment fee,” which will be established to reflect inflation, will be added to basic fees for outpatients’ initial visits and follow-up visits, as well as for hospitalizations. In addition, an “evaluation fee for pay scale hikes,” which medical institutions can receive when raising wages for nurses and other staff, will be expanded.

Furthermore, the revision will also raise fees for hospitals that accept many emergency patients and perform many advanced surgeries. It is understandable to allocate appropriate compensation to hospitals that play vital roles in regions.

The additional fees for hospitals that perform organ transplants from brain-dead donors will also be increased.

Even when an organ donor is found, transplants are sometimes abandoned due to insufficient hospital facilities or personnel. More than a few patients have no treatment option other than transplantation. The additional fees aim to help hospitals establish a system for transplant operations.

However, the revision of medical service fees this time has left important issues unresolved.

As the population ages, local clinics are expected to function as “family doctors” who provide care for elderly patients with dementia, among other responsibilities.

A proposal to differentiate fees between clinics that fulfill such a role and those that do not was also considered, but it was not realized this time.

Medical expenses continue to rise, and they are projected to reach ¥50 trillion this fiscal year. Every possible measure must be pursued to curb medical expenses.

For example, there are instances in which tests with low effects are being implemented and inappropriate medication is being administered. It is essential to review wasteful practices in medical services.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 20, 2026)