When a parent's monthly co-payments cross an income-based ceiling, the excess comes back, sometimes automatically and sometimes only if you apply. The catch is the application: families abroad leave money unclaimed because no one filed. Ask the municipality whether the parent's refund is automatic or needs a form, and check the first time costs run high. Watching this ceiling keeps a heavy-care month from spiraling.
Read more: The high-cost care refund
Related terms
- 自己負担（jiko futan）— co-payment
- 限度額適用認定証（gendogaku nintei-shou）— limit application certificate
- 差額ベッド代（sagaku bed dai）— private room charge
Getting help with this
See the full Japanese elder care glossary, or start with our long-term care insurance guide. If you would rather have someone handle the Japanese side, our care navigation service helps foreign families step by step, and you can contact us with your situation. Definitions are general orientation; rules vary by municipality (see our editorial policy).