BPJS Kesehatan: Regional Fiscal Pressures Could Disrupt JKN Contribution Payments

The Health Social Security Administering Body (BPJS Kesehatan) has stated that the economic and fiscal pressures currently occurring could affect the smooth payment of National Health Insurance (JKN) contributions by regional governments. “Economic and fiscal pressures will certainly affect all regional governments. From the fiscal side, there is a decline in regional transfers,” said BPJS Kesehatan Director of Finance and Investment Bayu Teja Muliawan in Semarang on Tuesday. He noted that some regional governments still depend on central-to-regional transfers. He also mentioned that there are still around 23 million JKN participants who are in arrears on their contributions. According to him, these 23 million participants are capable of paying the monthly fees, but are unable to pay the accumulated arrears. Therefore, the government plans to write off the arrears of these JKN participants so they can continue paying their monthly contributions. “There will be a presidential regulation, so they do not need to pay the arrears,” he said. Overall, he added, JKN participation has reached nearly 95 percent.