Data Health Plans are part of initiatives included in the Japanese government’s June 2013 cabinet decision on the Japan Revitalization Strategy which aim to extend the nation’s healthy life expectancy (*1). Data Health Plans are intended to make health activities more effective through a scientific approach using data such as accumulated Rezepts (medical cost details) (*2) and checkup data. To achieve these goals, from 2015, all health insurance societies are required to formulate Data Health Plans, and future health improvement activities (health activities) are to be implemented in line with these plans. In addition, to clarify the positioning of Data Health Plans, a new item requiring the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of health activity implementation plans has been added to the implementation guidelines for health activities provided for in the Health Insurance Act.
(*1) Healthy life expectancy
Number of years a person can expect to live free of health-related limitations in daily life. Healthy life expectancy is about nine years less than average life expectancy for men and about 12 years less for women. The years of poor health between healthy life expectancy and average life expectancy entail significant medical and long-term care costs and pose a challenge.
(*2) Rezepts (medical cost details)
Detailed invoices issued by medical care institutions to bill health insurance societies for medical costs other than patient copayments after society members receive examinations/treatment at medical care institutions using a health insurance card.
Under a Data Health Plan, disease prevention and other health activities are managed by an annual PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle. Health activities are planned (“plan”) and implemented (“do”) based on analysis of data such as health checkup results and medical cost data (Rezepts) retained by the Health Insurance Society and other parties. The results of activities implemented are then evaluated (“check”) to make improvements (“act”) in activities for the next fiscal year.
The first Data Health Plan covered the three-year period from FY2015 through FY2017. The second Data Health Plan covered the six-year period from FY2018 through FY2023.
The third Data Health Plan, which covers the six-year period from FY2024 through FY2029, began in FY2024.
PDCA cycle
The significance of Collaborative Health
Health activities undertaken by health insurance societies to maintain and improve member health are expected to generate synergies through collaboration with employers’ efforts to promote Kenkokeiei® health management (Note).
Collaborative Health refers to efforts to improve the health of members (employees and their families) through active cooperation between the employer and the health insurance society.
Data Health Plans formulated by health insurance societies and other insurers and Kenkokeiei® health management implemented by employers are key pillars of disease prevention and health improvement efforts strongly advanced by the Japanese government to lengthen healthy life expectancy.
Cooperation between health insurance societies and employers are expected to make disease prevention and health improvement efforts more effective.
(Note) Kenkokeieisup®
Strategic implementation of health management based on the thinking from a management perspective that employers can expect to generate outstanding business results by paying consideration to the health of their employees.
Kenkokeiei® is a registered trademark of Non-Profit Organization Kenkokeiei.
Data Health Plans
Data Health Plans are part of initiatives included in the Japanese government’s June 2013 cabinet decision on the Japan Revitalization Strategy which aim to extend the nation’s healthy life expectancy (*1). Data Health Plans are intended to make health activities more effective through a scientific approach using data such as accumulated Rezepts (medical cost details) (*2) and checkup data. To achieve these goals, from 2015, all health insurance societies are required to formulate Data Health Plans, and future health improvement activities (health activities) are to be implemented in line with these plans. In addition, to clarify the positioning of Data Health Plans, a new item requiring the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of health activity implementation plans has been added to the implementation guidelines for health activities provided for in the Health Insurance Act.
(*1) Healthy life expectancy
Number of years a person can expect to live free of health-related limitations in daily life. Healthy life expectancy is about nine years less than average life expectancy for men and about 12 years less for women. The years of poor health between healthy life expectancy and average life expectancy entail significant medical and long-term care costs and pose a challenge.
(*2) Rezepts (medical cost details)
Detailed invoices issued by medical care institutions to bill health insurance societies for medical costs other than patient copayments after society members receive examinations/treatment at medical care institutions using a health insurance card.
(only Japanese version available)
Features of Data Health Plans
Under a Data Health Plan, disease prevention and other health activities are managed by an annual PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle. Health activities are planned (“plan”) and implemented (“do”) based on analysis of data such as health checkup results and medical cost data (Rezepts) retained by the Health Insurance Society and other parties. The results of activities implemented are then evaluated (“check”) to make improvements (“act”) in activities for the next fiscal year.
The first Data Health Plan covered the three-year period from FY2015 through FY2017. The second Data Health Plan covered the six-year period from FY2018 through FY2023.
The third Data Health Plan, which covers the six-year period from FY2024 through FY2029, began in FY2024.
PDCA cycle
The significance of Collaborative Health
Health activities undertaken by health insurance societies to maintain and improve member health are expected to generate synergies through collaboration with employers’ efforts to promote Kenkokeiei® health management (Note).
Collaborative Health refers to efforts to improve the health of members (employees and their families) through active cooperation between the employer and the health insurance society.
Data Health Plans formulated by health insurance societies and other insurers and Kenkokeiei® health management implemented by employers are key pillars of disease prevention and health improvement efforts strongly advanced by the Japanese government to lengthen healthy life expectancy.
Cooperation between health insurance societies and employers are expected to make disease prevention and health improvement efforts more effective.
(Note) Kenkokeieisup®
Strategic implementation of health management based on the thinking from a management perspective that employers can expect to generate outstanding business results by paying consideration to the health of their employees.
Kenkokeiei® is a registered trademark of Non-Profit Organization Kenkokeiei.