The Bali Health Agency said that all residents would get universal health coverage under the National Health Insurance (JKN), which was launched earlier this year.
“We will ensure that all of Bali’s residents will be registered with JKN, so they will be entitled to health insurance,” agency head Ketut Suarjaya said recently.
He said that participants already registered with the program were civil servants, military and police officers, as well as employees that were previously covered by the Jamsostek program (Social Insurance for Workers). Currently, 1.5 million have been registered, excluding 904,863 people, classed as poor, who receive free health care due to their economic situation.
“We will ensure that all of Bali’s residents will be registered with JKN, so they will be entitled to health insurance,” agency head Ketut Suarjaya said recently.
He said that participants already registered with the program were civil servants, military and police officers, as well as employees that were previously covered by the Jamsostek program (Social Insurance for Workers). Currently, 1.5 million have been registered, excluding 904,863 people, classed as poor, who receive free health care due to their economic situation.
Suarjaya said his office had worked with 16,548 health centers, deployed a total of 10,971 health workers — including 1,052 general practitioners, 376 dentists, 459 specialist practitioners, 4,841 nurses, 2,578 midwives, pharmacists, 377 nutrition specialists, 344 community healthcare officers and 368 sanitation officers.
“We will deploy more health workers in line with the number of JKN participants and we will continue to disseminate information to health workers and the public to enable them to get the best services.”
He added that the quality healthcare service provided under JKN would not only cover medical treatment but would also educate the public on preventive measures.
The provincial administration is working toward the integration of its Bali Mandara healthcare insurance (JKBM) into the JKN, which should start early next year.
Under the JKBM scheme, the administration will pay Rp 8,500 (73 US cents) per person per month, eligible for residents with Bali ID cards.
Meanwhile, under the JKN, managed by the Social Security Management Agency (BPJS), the premium for registered members is Rp 23,000 per month.
One challenge for the JKN and JKBM is limited third class rooms at hospital.
Under the JKN scheme, services at community health centers (puskesmas) are set at Rp 3,000 to Rp 6,000 per person and Rp 100,000 for in-patients.
JKN is eligible for patients of every class depending on the premium paid every month. Civil servants; members of the Indonesian Army and police; and retires are required to pay premiums at 2 percent of their salaries, while the government will provide a 3 percent subsidy.
Made Ayu Ratna Dewi, head of BPJS for Bali and Nusa Tenggara, said that the implementation of JKN in Bali so far was running well, thanks to good coordination.
“The whole system is still being improved, but we are trying our best to avoid dissatisfaction,” she told Bali Daily.
She said the government would implement a roadmap to integrate JKN with JKBM in Bali by early next year. “[…] but the sooner, the better because the aim is provide quality universal health coverage.”
At present, there are 7.4 million JKN participants in Bali and Nusa Tenggara reached, including 5.7 million poor people that receive free healthcare.
Major challenges remain, including intensified dissemination of information to the public to ensure better coverage, as well monitoring of facilities at health centers, Ratna said.
In Bali, there are 29 (state-owned and private) hospitals that are accessible to JKN participants.
(Source: The Jakarta Post)