Are foreign nationals actually dodging their medical bills in Japan?

The issue of foreign patients at hospitals and clinics not paying medical bills was a major topic in a package of policies on foreign residents and tourists the government compiled, sparking questions about how big of a problem this might be.

In the policy package released Friday, if foreign nationals, including mid- and long-term residents, have ¥10,000 ($63) or more — down from the current threshold of ¥200,000 — in unpaid medical bills, immigration authorities plan to, in principle, ban foreign nationals with unpaid bills from reentering the country.

But are foreign residents and visitors who seek medical attention getting treatment and then skirting the bill, or are other reasons at play?