"The financing must be sustainable. It must be available this year and in the following years," the ministry's working team for reviewing the National Health Insurance (JKN) Program, Maria Hotnida, stated during a public discussion on "Problems of Health Financing Sources in the Regions."
Hotnida emphasized that local governments are tasked with ensuring health insurance for their communities.
She did point to the collaboration between state health insurer BPJS Kesehatan and private health insurance firms, though the pattern was yet unclear.
"But what does the (cooperation) pattern look like? We must develop the regulation of where the BPJS' role is, where the private insurance is," she questioned.
Hotnida said that health service facilities in Indonesia were still uneven, as currently, 171 sub-districts do not have local health centers (puskesmas).
"There are also districts and cities that do not have hospitals yet," she pointed out.
She also drew attention to an increase in health spending, but the achievement of health indicators was still low.
"Many districts and cities may not be efficient in using their health resources in achieving output. Do not let the allocated budget fail to reach the indicators that have been determined," she remarked.
In addition, she highlighted that health services are not allocated fairly. She assessed that the poor receive fewer benefits of health services than the well-off community.
"Disadvantaged communities have less access. They do not receive the same allocation as compared to communities, who can afford it," she pointed out.
Hotnida drew attention to another challenge wherein health financing has not been adequate and sustainable.
She said, spending on JKN that exceeds the region's income will burden its financing.
Currently, over five million poor people are awaiting their turn to become participants in the National Health Insurance Fee Assistance (PBI JKN).
The Health Ministry and Social Affairs Ministry will sit together to find solutions to this problem, she remarked.
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Translator: Anita D, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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