The new regulation sees the government doubling the premium for the first-class service, while more than doubling the cost for the second-class service.
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has finally signed a new presidential regulation (Perpres) on healthcare security, which stipulates a rise in the premiums for the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan).
Perpres No. 75/2019 on health insurance, signed on Oct. 24, replaced the previous regulation No. 82/2018 on the same matter and will begin to take effect in January next year.
The regulation has been awaited by BPJS Kesehatan ─ which manages Indonesia’s national health insurance (JKN) ─ as the former was expected to help the state insurer overcome the perpetual financial losses they suffered.
In the new regulation, the government has decided to double the premium for the first-class service to Rp 160,000 (US$11) per month per person, while more than doubling the cost for the second-class service from Rp 51,000 to Rp 110,000.
The premium for the third-class service hiked 64 percent from Rp 25,500 per person per month to Rp 42,000.
Ever since the proposal was made to double the premium, the public has greeted the idea with a mixed response. While some said the proposed hike was too expensive, others supported the planned increase as long as services were improved.
Timboel Siregar from watchdog BPJS Watch told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the new regulation was important to help the BPJS resolve various financial problems in the scheme.
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