Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus stressed that patients using the National Health Insurance (JKN) from BPJS Kesehatan must receive immediate treatment in emergency units.
"Urgency cases do not require a referral. Wherever you are as a BPJS member, you will be treated at any emergency unit," he said on Tuesday.
He noted that the rule applies strictly to urgent conditions requiring immediate intervention. Non-emergency cases, he added, may still go through the standard referral process.
The government is preparing to overhaul JKN’s tiered referral system, replacing it with a competency-based mechanism in 2026 to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin earlier told lawmakers that the change aims to cut unnecessary referrals, ensure patients reach hospitals with the right expertise, and reduce costs for BPJS Kesehatan.
"People will be happier — no need for them to be referred three times. They could die before receiving care. It is better to send them directly to a facility that can treat them based on the initial anamnesis," he explained.
Irene Sokoy, 31, a pregnant woman from Hobong Village in Sentani, Jayapura, died along with her unborn baby on November 17 after allegedly being turned away by four hospitals.
President Prabowo Subianto has instructed Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian to conduct an audit of all hospitals in Papua in response to the incident.
Papua health officials said they would review emergency response procedures, referral systems, and capacity at critical care facilities.
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Translator: Prisca, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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