Governor writes to BPJS to lift block on Aceh Jaminan Kesehatan access

Banda Aceh — Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf, also known as Mualem, has written to BPJS to reopen access to Aceh Health Insurance (JKA) membership that had been blocked following the enforcement of Governor Regulation (Pergub) No. 2 of 2026 on JKA, which has since been repealed.

The Governor has written to the Deputy Director of BPJS Kesehatan Region I in Medan. We hope BPJS will act on this promptly so that public health services in Aceh are not disrupted, said Nurlis Effendi, the Aceh Government’s spokesperson, in Banda Aceh on Wednesday.

“Therefore there is no longer any reason for BPJS Kesehatan to block JKA membership. The Governor of Aceh’s letter is a guarantee for all hospitals linked with JKA to provide health services to Aceh’s people,” he said.

The Governor’s letter, he continued, is to anticipate difficulties in implementing JKA after the revocation of Pergub No. 2 of 2026 on JKA in the field.

“While awaiting a new Pergub that revokes Pergub No. 2 of 2026, which is currently in process, the blocked access can be opened immediately,” said Nurlis Effendi.

The Aceh Government previously implemented Pergub JKA from 1 May 2026, so residents in the prosperous category, i.e., deciles 8–10, were no longer the responsibility of the JKA programme.

During this period, those in deciles 1–5 (the poor) were covered through the National Health Insurance (JKN) Penerima Bantuan Iuran (PBI) from the APBN.

Meanwhile deciles 6–10 were previously financed through JKA by the Aceh Government, excluding the TNI/Polri and civil servants.

However, under that regulation, JKA coverage is now focused only on people in deciles six and seven, while residents in deciles eight to ten are no longer covered by the programme.

Nevertheless, the policy has been revoked by the Aceh Governor after provocation of controversy and demonstrations across Aceh.