Parliament Grills Health and Social Affairs Ministers Over Hospitals Rejecting Inactive PBI BPJS Patients
Indonesia’s House of Representatives is pressing the government over public reports of hospitals refusing to treat patients with inactive BPJS Kesehatan coverage due to adjustments to Penerima Bantuan Iuran (PBI) recipients.
Commission IX member Irma Suryani Chaniago questioned the Health Minister’s oversight of hospitals unwilling to accept inactive PBI patients.
“Mr Health Minister, don’t just talk about issuing a circular letter; in reality, hospitals aren’t following it. Who are you asking to monitor when hospitals refuse service to deactivated citizens? We in the electoral district are receiving these reports,” she said during a working meeting of Commission IX with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Affairs, Central Statistics Agency, BPJS Kesehatan, and the National Social Security Council at the parliamentary building in Jakarta on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
“But gentlemen, it must be conveyed that in the field, many hospitals are not implementing this,” added Commission IX Chair Felly Estelita Runtuwene.
On the other hand, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, familiarly known as Gus Ipul, assured that no hospitals have rejected patients affected by the deactivation during the three-month transition period since February.
“There are none; participants with deactivated BPJS coverage have not been rejected when seeking treatment at hospitals or health facilities up to today,” said Gus Ipul when met by reporters at the parliamentary building on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
However, he stated that he would still follow up on any reports of hospitals refusing healthcare services.
“Well, there was information from several DPR members that we will follow up; if there is more detailed information, we will verify it because this is a government and DPR decision—no one should reject patients from the 11 million deactivated,” he emphasised.
The regulation requiring hospitals to continue providing healthcare services to BPJS patients affected by PBI deactivation refers to the agreement and conclusions from a meeting between the government and DPR on 9 February 2026. The first point states that DPR and the government agree that for the next three months, all healthcare services will continue to be provided, with PBI payments covered by the government.
Furthermore, the meeting conclusions between DPR and the government on 11 February 2026, in point 2, also state that Commission IX, the Ministry of Health, and BPJS agree to guarantee the continuity of healthcare services during the transition for affected participants by ensuring services for all patients, including those with chronic illnesses and catastrophic conditions, without discrimination.