A Different Mindset: Comparison of USA and Japan's Health Care

Now I am not an expert or well-read on this subject matter, most of what I've heard has derived from politics in the United States.  Health care is a big issue since President Obama's health care law passed.  One thing I like about the law that does affect me is that I can stay on my parent's insurance longer.  However, this isn't what I wanted to talk about.  

I noticed not soon after I came to Japan that people have a different mindset about going to the doctor or the hospital.  In the United States, while I am still covered by my parent's insurance, I try my best to avoid going to the hospital.  I had to call my insurance company to make sure I could go get a check up, before I left to study abroad for the year (partly to fill out paperwork), because I had seen an OB/GYN that same year.  The previous year I got pink eye during midterms.  Since I didn't want to miss my exam I couldn't make the trip over to the clinic offered by my university.  When I talked to my parents, they were concerned about waiting till I could see a doctor to avoid going into emergency care due to how frickin' expensive it is.  My little sister had to go to emergency care because she couldn't hear out of one ear (which affects balance) and she had a dance performance the next day.  

However, in Japan things seem a bit different.  I am required to purchase the National Health Insurance since I am here for a year and do not have a job that provides insurance.  I have yet to go in, but I've been encouraged to do so if I get sick.  Why?  Well, under the National Health insurance if I get sick most of my costs are covered.  A professor, during orientation, said that when Japanese people get sick they go see a doctor.  In the US, if I got sick like the flu or a fever I just stat home and rest.  Only if it gets really bad do I try to go to the clinic, then if I can't go there I go to the doctor and I am insured.  I just thought it was interesting, and likely says something about health care.  (But take it with a grain of salt because I am only talking about the difference that I've noticed in the very short amount of time I've been here.)