TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Donald Pardede, Head of the Funding and Health Insurance at the Ministry of Health, praised the increasing number of participants of the National Health Insurance program initiated by the Social Security Management Agency (BPJS). "The increase is incredible," he said.
Donald explained that initially, BPJS had set a target of 121.6 million BPJS participants. Out of the total number, 121 million participants were predicted to be originated from other social security programs, such as the Askes (Health Insurance program) and the Jamkesda (Regional Health Security program) while the remaining 600,000 participants were predicted to be new applicants.
"Unexpectedly, [the number of] new applicants] increased to up to 9 million people," said Donald.
BPJS noted that on January 2015, there has been 135.7 million participants, 9.8 million of which were new applicants.
"We have achieved [BPJS] purpose in providing health services. the Health Ministry is definitely happy," he said.
MITRA TARIGAN
