No BPJS Health Insurance Premium Increase This Year, Says Coordinating Minister Muhaimin

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar announced that BPJS Kesehatan contribution rates will not be increased this year.

“Not this year. The increase proposal is still under calculation by the Health Minister. Given the circumstances and conditions, we have decided not to raise it yet,” said Coordinating Minister Muhaimin Iskandar on the sidelines of an event titled “Strengthening Psychosocial Resilience as a Foundation for Community Empowerment” in Jakarta on Friday, 27 February.

According to him, discussion of a BPJS Kesehatan contribution increase has been ongoing since last year. The adjustment is necessary to prevent BPJS Kesehatan from continuously operating at a loss, which would enable improved service quality.

“The calculation is aimed at improving service, an increase is needed. This has been under discussion since last year. The needs assessment for the increase began last year,” Muhaimin Iskandar said.

There is a cross-subsidy mechanism in BPJS Kesehatan’s operations, whereby higher-income citizens help finance coverage for lower-income populations. “The government is already bearing more than 60 percent of the burden. Those who are able should help those who are not,” Muhaimin Iskandar said.

Earlier, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that if rates were increased, it would not affect citizens in Deciles 1-5 according to the National Unified Data on Social and Economic Status (DTSEN), as they are covered by the government under the Recipient of Health Insurance Premium Assistance Programme (PBI JKN).

Any contribution increase would only affect middle and upper-income citizens.

“A BPJS premium increase would have no effect whatsoever on poor citizens, because the poor are subsidised by the government,” Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said.