Jusuf Kalla: Gov't Agrees on BPJS Premium Hike
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30 July 2019 17:49 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the government has agreed to increase the premium for the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan). The decision was made during a meeting at the State Palace yesterday, July 29.
"We agreed to raise the premium, but as for how much, that would be discussed first by the technical team. They will report it to us during the next meeting," Kalla said in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 30.
The premium increase was decided as a solution to curb BPJS' deficits, which the agency has suffered over the last few years. This year, BPJS Kesehatan's deficit is projected at roughly Rp29 trillion.
In addition to the premium hike, the vice president said that a number of other things were decided during yesterday's meeting.
President Joko Widodo or Jokowi agreed that BPJS Kesehatan needs to improve its management and control system. The government also agreed to decentralize the agency.
"We also agreed that regional governments should be given autonomies over BPJS. Because it is impossible for one institution to control more than 200 million members. We have to delegate to provinces," Kalla said.
Through decentralization, Kalla said, the government believes that the 2,500 hospitals partnering with BPJS will receive better training and monitoring from provincial governments. The vice president added that a number of agreements will be reassessed and rediscussed in further meetings.
