Indonesian Govt to Cease Covid-19 Funding

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government of Indonesia has stopped the special funding for Covid-19 patients in accordance with Health Minister Regulation No. 23 of 2023 on Covid-19 management guidelines in the endemic era.

The Head of the Legal Bureau of the Health Ministry Indah Febrianti said that going forward, Covid-19 patients will have to fund their treatment independently.

"Starting September 1, the reimbursement claim [of Covid-19 treatment] cannot be submitted to the ministry but will be assisted by the national health insurance mechanism, funded independently by the public or other guarantor," she said in an official statement on Tuesday, August 22, 2023.

Indah explained that the regulation was the implementation of Presidential Decision No. 17 of 2023 and Presidential Regulation No. 48 of 2023, marking the end of the Pandemic status of Covid-19 in Indonesia.

"Hospitals which treated patients before the Presidential Decision No. 17 of 2023 entered into force will still be able to submit the reimbursement claim in accordance with the requirements under Health Minister regulation," Indah said.

According to Indah, the decision was inked on June 21, 2023. Thus, reimbursement is still available for patients who were admitted before June 21. Meanwhile, for patients who were admitted after June 21 to the end of August, the hospitals will still be able to claim reimbursement until August 31, 2023.

Previously, the government ended the Pandemic status of Covid-19 on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. The government also delegated the Covid-19 management to the Health Ministry in accordance with the law. As a follow-up, the ministry released regulation No. 23 of 2023 concerning health promotion, surveillance, clinical management, Covid-19 vaccination, and waste management.

ADE RIDWAN YANDWIPUTRA

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