保険診療の歯科医で脱現金決済進む 気ままなリライト170
In Japan’s dental industry, where many clinics have been struggling with market saturation, reliance on low-margin insured treatments, and rising operational costs, the official move toward cashless transactions for insurance-covered treatments has offered a promising lifeline. By adopting this new payment option, smaller clinics are standing to gain operational efficiency and improve patient convenience, both of which are crucial for reducing costs and enhancing the patient experience in the increasingly competitive dental care market.
The official approval for cashless payments in insurance-covered dental treatments has arisen from a conflict between the Health Insurance Act’s regulations and the Japan Dental Association’s (JDA) growing concern for the future of local neighborhood dentists as essential providers of proactive healthcare. While the Act prohibits discounting the patient’s share of insurance-covered medical treatments, including dental services, the JDA’s pushed for modernization, advocating for cashless transactions. This led the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to examine a legal gray area: whether the rewards earned through card payment points could be considered equivalent to a discount. In September 2023, the MHLW adjusted its interpretation of the law, allowing this modern payment option temporarily, prioritizing the convenience and flexibility credit cards bring to dental care.
The Ministry’s endorsement has been instrumental in providing the confidence and regulatory clarity that many dental clinics needed to adopt cashless transactions. Previously hesitant clinics have now embraced these systems at higher rates. A survey in summer 2023 revealed that before the Ministry’s official approval, regulatory ambiguity and cost concerns limited adoption to only 40% of Japan's estimated 67,000 dental clinics—surpassing the country’s 57,000 convenience stores—had implemented cashless payment options, with 80% of all clinics in the country being individually owned. However, by the end of May 2024, the number of clinics using cashless services through SCO Group reached 12,630, a 50% increase from the previous year’s figure of 8,420. As of now, this figure has exceeded 13,000, signaling a substantial uptick in adoption.
The expansion of card payments in Japanese dental clinics is further encouraged by the reduction of transaction fees specifically designed for dental practices by major credit card companies. For international brands like Visa and Mastercard, offered through SCO Group, the transaction fee is set at 1.5%, with a reduced rate of 1.25% available for clinics that meet a certain transaction volume. Similarly, Mitsui-Sumitomo offers a rate of 1.5% for credit card transactions in dental clinics, which is notably lower than the standard 2-3% fee applied in other industries.
This credit card companies’ reduced transaction fee strategy has highlighted joint efforts from the private and public sectors, spurred by the Ministry’s endorsement of cashless transactions in dental care. A representative from one credit card company noted, “The fees for dental clinics are set at a level where profitability is minimal. To offset the lower margins, we incorporate additional revenue streams, such as financing for medical equipment and other financial services.” This approach aims to make card payment adoption more financially and operationally viable for dental clinics by reducing cash-handling burdens, streamlining processes, minimizing errors, and improving transaction transparency.