President Jokowi Inspects BPJS Kesehatan Service at Lampung Hospital

President Jokowi made an impromptu visit to Abdul Moeloek Hospital in Lampung, Friday (15/11). Photo by: Oji/PR

During an impromptu visit to Abdul Moeloek Hospital in Lampung province on Friday (15/11), President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo found that the number of participants of insurance program held by the Social Security Provider for Health (BPJS Kesehatan) who pay their own premium is bigger than the number of participants whose premiums are fully subsidized by the Government.

“I want to make sure that the people, the patients in this hospital, have their own BPJS Card. I found that more than 90% (of the patients) use the BPJS insurance,” the President said.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also inspected the outpatient service and talked to a number of patients, while asking about the utilization and services provided by the BPJS.

President Jokowi went on to say that the deficit suffered by the agency could be overcome by improving the premium collection system.

“The State Budget fully subsidizes 96 million (participants). The deficit of BPJS Kesehatan is caused by mismanagement. Thus, the premium collection should be intensified,” he said.

For the record, data from BPJS Kesehatan shows that as of 31 October 2019 there are 96,055,779 participants whose premiums are fully subsidized by the Central Government and 37,887,281 participants whose premiums are fully subsidized by the regional government.

The figure indicates that premium for more than 133 million participants of the BPJS Kesehatan (approximately 60% of the total participant) are fully subsidized by the Government. (TGH/OJI/ES)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Edited by: Ersan Pamungkas