5.2. Exact amount of reimbursement
The effects of enhancement of health consciousness and less anxiety in day-to-day life
contribute to the users themselves, since they enrich their personal life. On the other hand, in addition to this, stabilization of illness has another effect, since it is helpful to
society by means of decreased medical expenditures, less medical resources, etc. That
is, it also has an external effect. This argument suggests who bears the cost of the
telehealth system. If the effect gives rise to individual users, then they are willing to
pay that amount. On the other hand, if it affects the entire society, then it can bear that
amount. According to the above figures, in Kamaishi City individual users bear 2763
yen in cost, while society pays 349 yen as reimbursement. In Nishiaizu,
reimbursement is 439 yen. Surprisingly, the amount of 2,763 yen obtained here is very
close to the amount of 2,500 yen charged by Kamaishi City.