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View all search resultsDeath of 12 year-old sparks calls for national health insurance reform
Hospital staff informed Alif's parents that if they wanted their son to continue receiving treatment, they would need to pay out of pocket, as his condition did not meet the emergency criteria set by the JKN and would therefore not be covered by the state insurance.
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A customer seeks service from an office of the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) in Jakarta. (Courtesy of/www.panduanbpjs.com)
T
he death of another National Health Insurance (JKN) policyholder following an early discharge from intensive care has sparked criticism of rigid state insurance regulations and prompted calls to review hospital protocols for JKN patients.
Muhammad Alif Okto Karyanto, 12, died on Sunday, just two hours after being discharged early from Embung Fatimah Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Batam, Riau Islands.
Alif had been admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) shortly before midnight on Saturday after experiencing severe shortness of breath. He received initial treatment from the medical team, and after several hours of observation, doctors reported that his condition had stabilized.
Hospital staff informed Alif's parents that if they wanted their son to continue receiving treatment, they would need to pay out of pocket, as his condition did not meet the emergency criteria set by the JKN and would therefore not be covered by the state insurance.
Due to financial constraints, Alif’s parents decided to take him home and Alif died shortly after being discharged.
The head of the Riau Islands Ombudsman, Lagat Parroha Patar Siadari, criticized RSUD Embung Fatimah’s decision to discharge Alif prematurely, stating that life-saving treatment and humanitarian considerations must take precedence over insurance-related concerns.
“Even if Alif’s diagnosis did not fully meet the emergency criteria set by the JKN, from a humanitarian and medical professionalism standpoint, he should have received continued care, especially considering that Embung Fatimah is a government-owned hospital,” Lagat said on Tuesday, as quoted by Tribunnews.
