Health Minister Explains Reasons for Planned Increase in BPJS Kesehatan Premiums

The Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, has explained the importance of structural changes in the implementation of the national health insurance system. One way to achieve this is by increasing BPJS Kesehatan premiums to ensure the program’s sustainability.

According to Budi Gunadi, the BPJS Kesehatan deficit will reach IDR 20-30 trillion per year. This deficit is currently being addressed by the government through a budget of IDR 20 trillion. However, he warned that the deficit will occur every year.

This deficit will be felt through delayed payments to hospitals. As a result, hospitals will experience difficulties in financing their operations. “That is why there must be structural changes,” said the Minister of Health in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

On this occasion, Budi Gunadi also stated that he was confident that the increase in BPJS Kesehatan premiums would only affect the middle to upper class. “The increase in BPJS premiums will have no impact at all on the poor. Because the poor are paid for by the government,” he said.

If the tariff is increased, the Minister is optimistic that it will not affect people who are included in Deciles 1-5 in the National Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN). This is because they are covered by the government in the National Health Insurance Contribution Assistance (PBI JKN) scheme.

Furthermore, the Minister explained that the concept of social insurance, such as BPJS Kesehatan, is that the rich subsidize the poor. Just like taxes, the rich pay more taxes, but they have the same access to roads as the poor.

“The middle to upper class, like journalists, should be able to afford IDR 42,000 per month. Well, men buy cigarettes for more than that,” said Budi Gunadi.

Meanwhile, the General Chairman of the Indonesian Health Volunteers (Rekan) Indonesia, Agung Nugroho, said that the plan to adjust BPJS Kesehatan premiums could increase the number of inactive participants.

According to him, if the premiums increase, more families will make adjustments to their spending. The risk that arises is an increase in arrears and inactive membership. In the end, they may lose their health insurance just when they need it most,” he said.

Meanwhile, the poor are relatively protected by the PBI JKN scheme, and the high-income group tends to be able to absorb the increased costs. However, the middle class, especially informal sector workers and families with tight fixed expenses, are in a vulnerable position.

He also asked that the plan to increase BPJS Kesehatan premiums be studied comprehensively first because the policy has the potential to weaken the reach of the national health insurance system.

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