Health Minister Responds to Jokowi`s Criticism on BPJS Kesehatan

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Nila Moeloek has responded to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's recent criticism on the lasting deficit that the Healthcare and Social Security Agency, otherwise known as BPJS Kesehatan, has suffered. She said the ministry would revise its partnership with the health agency in a sustainable manner.

“I think we must review the ties with BPJS,” said Nila after monitoring the Kramat Jati Central Market, East Jakarta, Friday, Oct 19.

Nila said health insurance was essential to Indonesian people. The ministry, she added, had set a target to furnish universal health coverage to all citizens by 2019. “The government will pay the insurance premium for the poor because they have the rights to be hospitalized,” she said. 

Read: BPJS Watch Praises Jokowi's Warning to BPJS Kesehatan 

Nila also appealed to the public to maintain their health, allowing for expensive health costs. “We must maintain our health to help BPJS, so the agency should not pay for hospital treatments too much. That is the principle. For example, we can check on our blood pressure and keep it in the normal level to prevent heart disease,” she stressed.

Earlier, President Jokowi and his cabinet were deliberating BPJS Kesehatan's lingering deficit issue. Presidential expert staffer for economic affairs Ahmar Erani Yustika said the president was still looking into the cause of the problem.

Erani said talks about the possible options to stem the problem were still afoot, including an increase in the premium and a reshuffle of BPJS Kesehatan's board of directors. However, no decision has been made yet since the government is still focusing on BPJS Kesehatan's system. 

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