[HEALTH] The City of Yokohama: Cancer Check-up for Women

Aiming at early discovery and treatment for cancers, the city of Yokohama provides citizens cancer screening services. You may have received this letter in the photo or a free coupon for screening.

Please scroll down to read the brief explanation of what is written in each document in the photo above.

*Please remember that fiscal year starts in April in Japan. So "this year" may mean from April this year (to March next year).

What is the free coupon?

The city sends free cancer screening coupons for citizens of certain age etc. Till 2013, the city provided coupons as follows:
Cervical Cancer: 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40
Breast Cancer: 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60
Colorectal Cancer: 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60


Condition1: You haven't taken screening in the past two years.
Condition2: You are a citizen of Yokohama.

Source: http://www.city.yokohama.jp/ne/news/press/201306/images/phpvRXFMs.pdf
*You can see the sample of the coupon, too.

Even if you haven't received the coupon, if you are in the targeted age group, you can show your insurance card at the clinic/hospital and can take the check-up for free. In that case, please bring the coupon to the clinic/hospital when you receive it.

What's happening this year?

1) The city re-sent the coupons (cervical cancer and breast cancer) for those who didn't use it in the past five years.
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kenko/gan/26gansuisin2.html
You must have received the cervical cancer screening coupon around mid-August, 2014 and the breast cancer screening coupon around the end of July, 2014 if you are:
born on the dates listed in the tables on the webpage above and didn't use the coupon in the year when you received it (please use the webpage translator).

2) The city sent the cervical cancer free coupon only to those who turned 20 years old during April 2nd 2013 to April 1st 2014 and was a citizen of Yokohama on April 20th, 2014. And the breast cancer and colorectal caner coupons were sent to those who turned 40. And those who turned 45, 50, 55 and 60 must have received the colorectal canter screening coupons. These coupons were already sent in the end of June, 2014.

Source: http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kenko/gan/26gansuisin1.html

What is the letter in the photo?

1) Information of Uterus Cancer Screening of the city of Yokohama
Summery:
The city of Yokohama financially support cancer check-ups (stomach, lung, cervical, breast, colorectal and prostate). To discover cancers and receive treatment in the early stage, it is important to have a check up on regular basis.
*If you have some symptoms (pain or bleeding, for example) please see a doctor immediately. If you are pregnant, please consult your doctor.
How to get the check-up
Call one of the clinics/hospitals on the list and tell them that you would like to have the check up of the city of Yokohama. Please bring your insurance card or ID to the clinic/hospital.
Who can get the check up?
Among those who live in Yokohama and have no opportunity to take the similar check up (regular check up at your workplace, for example), those who are over 20 years old and haven't got screening in the last fiscal year (*you can get the uterus screening once in two fiscal years).
What screening and how much will we pay?
-Cytology screening
-You are going to pay:
Cervical: 1360 yen (while it usually costs 7000 yen)
Endometrial: 2620 yen (like above, 14000 yen)

*Except for those who are receiving treatments for uterus cancer at the moment.
*You can get endometrial cancer check if you have bleeding in the past 6 months or if the doctor judges that it is necessary.

This letter was sent to women who are in the age groups in the table (on the white paper, back side bottom).
2) The pink booklet is "Cancer Screening Pocketbook"
PDF version (Japanese):
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kenko/gan/26gansuisin1/shikyu2.pdf

3) List of the clinics/hospitals where you can take the screening (check-up) provided by the city
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kenko/kenshin/top.html　(in Japanese, PDF file appears when you click your ward)

4) Yokohama Walking Point Program (colored paper, nothing to do with cancer screening)
For citizens over 40 years old. For more information:
http://enjoy-walking.city.yokohama.lg.jp/walkingpoint/