The program is targeting the 2,536,886 residents in the province who are not covered by any healthcare insurance scheme. Only residents holding identity cards issued by the Bali administration are entitled to join the program. The patients can gain access to JKBM at eight state-run hospitals, 130 community health centers, Indera Hospital, Bangli Mental Hospital, as well as use Sanglah Hospital as a referral center. Under the scheme, patients are only provided with Class 3 facilities, the lowest level of services.

“Not all Bali residents can afford healthcare services. That’s why we established JKBM, to provide access to those who are not covered by other health schemes,” Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said at the MoU signing. Under the MoU, Bali administration granted Rp 123.2 billion to state-run hospitals in the participating regencies, funded jointly by the provincial and the regental administrations, who will share the responsibility of supervising the hospitals and evaluating the program.

Buleleng regency gets the biggest share of Rp 24.5 billion, Tabanan gets Rp 19.8 billion and Gianyar gets Rp 18.2 billion. Only Jembrana regency refused to join the program, saying it had run a similar program for a couple of years. Political observers believed Jembrana’s refusal stemmed from the ongoing political animosity between its regent and the governor. Jembrana’s regent, I Gede Winasa was Mangku Pastika’s closest contender in the gubernatorial race.

Launched on Jan. 1, the massive Bali Mandara program was named after Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika’s slogan when he campaigned for the gubernatorial post. The word Mandara is the acronym for mandiri (self-reliant), aman (safe), damai (peaceful) and sejahtera (prosperous).   

The program does not cover ambulance services, workplace accidents, traffic accidents, drug addiction treatment, autopsies, chemotherapy, circumcisions and congenital paralysis. It excludes general checkups, heart surgery, organ transplants, as well as medical treatment during a disaster. People with HIV/AIDS can access the program, but only for treating related infections and are not entitled to use the program for anti-retroviral treatment.   

The Bali administration also granted Rp 48 billion from this year’s provincial budget to community health centers to improve their services and is currently assessing which centers will receive the funds.

After a previous bad experience, Agustina, a Denpasar resident, hoped the free healthcare program would provide proper services.

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