Comparing Treatment Options
Cost Comparison
Conservative Treatment Costs (Approximate Out-of-Pocket at 30%)
| Treatment | Cost per session | Estimated annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Medication | A few hundred to a few thousand yen/month | 10,000-50,000 yen |
| Rehabilitation | 500-2,000 yen/visit | 30,000-100,000 yen |
| Nerve block injections | 3,000-10,000 yen/session | Several tens of thousands of yen |
Surgery and SCS Costs
Decompression surgery, fusion surgery, and SCS are all covered by Japan's High-Cost Medical Care Benefit System (Kogaku Ryoyo-hi Seido). Under this system, there is a monthly cap on your out-of-pocket expenses.
| Category | Monthly out-of-pocket cap (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Under 70, annual income approx. 3.7-7.7 million yen | Approximately 80,000 yen |
| 70 or older, standard income | Approximately 44,000 yen |
The exact out-of-pocket amount depends on your income bracket. For details, please ask the hospital billing office or your local municipal government.