DOD Employees in Japan Unhappy with New Healthcare Law

GIKorea | January 13, 2023 | US Government | 1 Comment

This is definitely a major issue for DOD employees working overseas that need routine medical care:

Defense Department civilian employees in Japan hope an email and phone campaign directed at Congress will reverse a Pentagon decision to reduce their access to medical care at military hospitals. (Stars and Stripes)

Many civilians were caught off guard in October when DHA announced they should make plans to find health care in the surrounding Japanese communities. Limited access to care has created a crisis that puts individuals, their coworkers and their families at risk, according to the post.

The DHA Indo-Pacific region director, Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Heck, said in October the agency is mandated by law to prioritize health care for active-duty service members and their families.

As of Jan. 1, DOD employees like schoolteachers, commissary workers and contractors are limited to urgent or acute care and some specialty clinics at base hospitals. Some U.S. civilian employees of Stars and Stripes fall into this category.

For routine health maintenance and ongoing care for chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease or cancer, they are encouraged to seek Japanese health care providers. The alternative is to rely on space-available appointments after the military hospitals schedule service members and their families.
Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link. I have used doctors off post while stationed overseas before and the biggest issue is understanding what you are being told because English translation may not be that great depending on the hospital. The other issue is how far some of the hospitals are from the U.S. military base causing increased travel times away from work.