Social Support System for Biliary Atresia in Japan

Public subsidies and allowances available to patients with biliary atresia and their families in Japan include the national medical insurance system as well as independence support services, pediatric chronic specific diseases, designated intractable diseases, physical disability certificate system, disability pensions, special child-rearing allowance, and welfare allowance for disability. Each system has different purposes and subsidy standards; thus, patients with biliary atresia in various situations can take advantage of multiple such systems with a wide range of subsidies. Such a broad spectrum of support systems seems to play a major role in boosting the outcome of treatment for biliary atresia in Japan.