Parties vow to upgrade social health insurance

Adianto P. Simamora ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakrta   |  Wed, 02/04/2009 8:54 AM  |  National

Political parties pledged to accelerate the implementation of health insurance schemes for all Indonesians if they win the upcoming elections.

The promises were made during a public debate organized by the Association of Indonesian Social Security and Health Insurance Experts (PAMJAKI) on Tuesday.

Golkar Party politician Mariani Akib Baramuli said the party would search for a way to ensure everybody received health insurance in indonesia.

“We will supervise and enforce the law on social security systems consistently and fairly. But we will no longer pass on the burden of financing the scheme to anybody else,” Mariani said.

She said Golkar would establish a specific body to manage social health insurance.

The 2004 law on national
social security systems ruled the government had to expand health insurance coverage to include
people working in the informal sector and families living in poverty.

Before the law took effect, health insurance programs only covered civil servant and private employees only.

Representatives of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), National Mandate Party (PAN), Democratic Party and Indonesian Demo-
cratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
also promised better management of health insurance if they were elected.

PKS secretary of social welfare division Ipik Muhammad Fikri said the current social health insurance scheme, known as Jamkesmas, should cover everybody fairly, regardless of profession.

“The source of finance should come from the government and the community. The concept is that the fund be managed by the government,” she said to Antara.

Based on a PKS estimate, individuals would only need to pay between Rp 2,000 (US 18 cent)and Rp 5,000 to join the program.

PAN politician Tuti Indarshid Loekman said the country was
in need of a policy which allowed everybody to benefit from the scheme.

“The management of social health insurance should be managed by a NGO of the government’s choice,” she said.

She said the fund to pay for premiums should be collected from members.
Democratic Party representative Hakim Sorimuda Pohan said the party would empower the community health centers (Puskesmas) to ensure health services were available to the public.

He insisted the funding for the program should come from the government.
“We need about Rp 17 trillion to ensure the health insurance scheme reaches everyone in the archipelago,” Hakim said.

He said the money could be made available if the government passes a law on tobacco control.
 

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