Health insurance remains low priority

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)