Health insurance remains low priority

JAKARTA (JP): With the skyrocketing prices of drugs and hospitalization costs that people have to shoulder during the economic crisis, health insurance is certainly basic.

Unfortunately, only a lucky few are protected by health insurance. Most people, either because of economic reasons or mere ignorance, still do not prepare themselves with health insurance for stormy days as is evident in what people said when interviewed by The Jakarta Post this week.

Enny Sukamto Hehuwat, a model and businesswoman: I do not have health insurance but I do have life insurance. I also insure my cars, my house and my paintings.

I really want to have health insurance covering hospitalization expenses, medical check-ups and medicines, especially at times like this. But I wonder if the insurance services here will be just as good as those overseas.

As far as I know, health insurance here can only be used in certain hospitals. Meanwhile, the number of hospitals is still inadequate. So I fear that the hospitals will not give priority to insurance policy holders wanting to get medical treatment just because we "do not pay."

Lily Zakiyah Munir, social worker affiliated with the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization's women's working group and a mother of three: We have not joined any health insurance schemes yet because I am still trying to find a suitable one. So we pay our own health expenses.

Recently, I looked into several companies' health insurance schemes but most of them only offered to cover hospitalization costs. What we need most is coverage for other medical expenses too, such as drugs. Yes, I know there are comprehensive schemes, which also include what I need, but they are very expensive.

But as a precaution, I always save some money in case there is an emergency. Fortunately, I have a friend and a relative who are doctors. They often give me free service.

Maybe it is my ignorance which makes my family reluctant to have health insurance, although we do insure our cars.

Or, maybe because I, like many other people, still think that health insurance is a luxury and therefore not a priority. Our priority is daily essentials.

Zumrotin K. Susilo, executive director of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI): My husband, a civil servant, and I are protected by the state-run PT Askes health insurance scheme. For civil servants, their salaries are automatically deducted to pay for their insurance.

During difficult times like now, when medical treatment is getting expensive, we really feel the benefits of having health insurance.

But I still find something that disturbs me. I see that there is still discrimination in providing services to Askes members. Certain people, such as senior government officials, can be directly hospitalized and they are allowed to take care of administrative procedures later. But those of a lower position have to take care of cumbersome procedures first before getting any treatment.

I have experienced (a favorable) discrimination myself. When my son had to undergo heart surgery, he was directly treated and I took care of the administrative procedures later on even though he was not referred to the hospital by another hospital as officially required of all Askes members.

That discrimination was good for me. They gave us special service maybe because they knew I was from YLKI, whose job is criticism.

But I am well aware that many people do not get the same service as I received. And if service is discriminatory, it is no good.

Dino, a driver of a freight forwarder company: I do not have any insurance whatsoever and my company does not provide any.

Any time I get sick, I usually go to the community health center or buy drugs at the drugstore. I pay all the expenses like last year when I was hospitalized for typhus. Thank God I am still unmarried.

As long as my salary is meager, I will never be able to afford health insurance. I heard it is very expensive to have. So, let me just pray that I will not get sick, especially not now.

A. Basori, a journalist of Pelita daily: I joined a health insurance scheme from Cigna about two years ago. Just as a precaution in case I have to be hospitalized.

Actually, my paper protects its employees with health insurance covered by Askes. But I was once very disappointed with the Askes policy which requires the participant to get first aid at a nearby community health center that will refer them to hospital if it can't handle the treatment.

Once, when I went to a community health center in my neighborhood to get medical treatment, a health worker there only asked questions without examining my condition, and then gave me the medicine. I was really dissatisfied.

Harti Hadisoemo, public relations manager of Ciputra Jakarta Hotel: I do not participate in any health insurance scheme. Maybe soon I will have one.

I used to think I did not want to have health insurance because there was only a limited number of insurance companies which offered schemes for individuals. But now, I think there are many companies which offer protection schemes for individuals like me.

The company I work with does provide me and other employees with Jamsostek (the government-sponsored Workers Social Security Program), but I think it is not enough.

At present, I have received some offers from insurance companies, but I am yet to look into them.

Sardjono Jatiman, a noted sociologist and lecturer at the University of Indonesia: I do not have any insurance. It is just that I do not trust any insurance companies. Their image here is not good.

I do have Askes, but I never use it. A long time ago, I tried to use it, but the procedures were really complicated, making me frustrated. Instead of getting much better, I felt much sicker. Since then, I have never used it again. So, anytime I get sick, I pay with my own money, and everything is solved.

And I do not plan to join any health insurance scheme because it is really expensive. It also means an extra outlay, while it is already difficult to make ends meet nowadays. Those, who can have health insurance, are usually rich people.

So, I will just put my faith in God. If I get sick, I believe that somehow God will help me. (ste)