Legislator Worried That Increased JKN Programme Fees Will Make Healthcare Less Accessible

A member of Commission IX of the DPR RI (House of Representatives), Irma Suryani, responded to the issue of the JKN programme fee increase. According to her, there will be a significant impact if the fees are increased.

“Since the KRIS (Standard Inpatient Class) programme was launched, I have been warning about the side effects of the tariff increase. Especially now, in the midst of high layoffs and the chaos of PBI (Prosperous Indonesia Health) participant deactivation, coupled with TKD (Regional Health Service) efficiency measures that cause local governments to cut PBI budgets funded by the regions. We are concerned that the public will be even less able to access public health services, which is a constitutional mandate,” she told Media Indonesia on Wednesday (February 25).

Furthermore, she also emphasised that there are still many participants in the JKN programme who have outstanding payments. An increase in fees will certainly increase the number of participants with outstanding payments.

“There are already many people with outstanding payments; if the fees are increased, won’t there be even more?” said Irma.

She also understands the BPJS Kesehatan’s reason for the JKN programme fee increase. However, she asked the government to reconsider this policy.

“Now, choose whether to burden the JKN or burden the people,” she concluded. (E-4)

The Coordinator of Advocacy at BPJS Watch, Timboel Siregar, said that the increase in BPJS Kesehatan fees should not be applied to independent participants in classes 1, 2, and 3, or the middle class.

However, YLKI (Indonesian Consumer Foundation) reminded that the policy of increasing fees should not burden the public, especially from the economic perspective of the participants.

The Head of Public Relations at BPJS Kesehatan, Rizzky Anugerah, responded to the statement by the Minister of Health regarding the increase in JKN participant fees.

The total amount of outstanding BPJS Kesehatan membership fees in Babel (Bangka Belitung) reached IDR 191 billion.

BPJS Kesehatan should focus on helping the poor. Meanwhile, wealthier people can obtain health services from private insurance.

However, YLKI reminded that the policy of increasing fees should not burden the public, especially from the economic perspective of the participants.

The Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said that the increase in BPJS Kesehatan fees would not burden the poor because the government would pay for them.

The Director General of the Social Security Agency (BPJS) Kesehatan, Ali Ghufron Mukti, raised the issue of the increase in BPJS Kesehatan membership fees with the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani.

If the Minister of Health says that JKN fees will not be increased in 2025, then net assets will be completely depleted.

The Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, asked the public not to worry about BPJS Kesehatan fees in 2025.