BPJS Kesehatan Partners with Korpri to Address Deficit and Regional Government Contribution Arrears

Denpasar (ANTARA) - BPJS Kesehatan is partnering with the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri) to support efforts in addressing the deficit and arrears in contributions from regional governments. “We continue to enhance public services; the health of the community must remain served, and we must create a balance in financing,” said Director of Membership at BPJS Kesehatan, Akmal Budi Yulianto, on the sidelines of the synergy and collaboration forum for the National Health Insurance (JKN) Programme with Korpri in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday. According to him, the institution experiences a deficit of approximately Rp2 trillion each month, one of the reasons being the low number of active JKN participants. Currently, he continued, the national coverage stands at 98 per cent, or nearly the entire population of Indonesia, with around 285 million people protected under the JKN Programme. However, the number of active participants is estimated at around 50 million. In addition to active participants, he said, arrears in contributions from regional governments are also quite high. On the same occasion, Chairman I of the National Board of Korpri for Organisational Strengthening, Reydonnyzar Moenek, stated that arrears in BPJS Kesehatan contributions from regional governments across Indonesia are estimated at around Rp5 trillion. “Nearly Rp5 trillion in arrears from regional governments in Indonesia from each local authority. Meanwhile, the utilisation of health services (BPJS) must continue,” he said. He revealed that budget allocations for health and education are mandatory, so they can be set aside from the efficiency perspective. Currently, he estimates the total number of Civil Servants (ASN) in Indonesia at around 6.5 million people. According to him, the central and regional governments, DPR RI, relevant Ministries/Institutions (K/L), need to sit together to find solutions, including expanding regional fiscal capacity and not depending on Regional Transfer Funds (TKD). In addition, he continued, improvements to regulations related to fiscal policies to strengthen health are important, as is political support from both the executive and legislative branches at the regional level to resolve JKN contribution arrears. “If necessary, a presidential regulation (perpres) should be made on how to settle regional arrears (BPJS Kesehatan contributions),” added the former Acting Governor of West Sumatra for 2015-2016.