Sri Mulyani Says Health Sector Is A Priority In 2022, But National Health Insurance Budget Drops Rp86 Trillion, What's Up?

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani confirmed that the health sector will still be the government's priority in 2022 in line with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Next year's health budget will still be dominated by the handling of COVID, but we will also support various programs beyond that, such as the stunting elimination program, as well as reforms in the health sector," he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, August 16.

According to the Minister of Finance, the health budget for handling COVID-19 in the National Economic Recovery Program (PEN) in 2021 jumped very significantly to Rp201 trillion from the 2020 realization of Rp60 trillion.

"This happened because so many patients were admitted to the hospital," he said.

Meanwhile, in the 2022 RAPBN, the government plans to allocate funds for handling the health sector pandemic amounting to Rp. 115 trillion. This means that the health PEN ceiling will decrease by Rp86 trillion next year compared to this year.

"Now for 2022, testing, tracing, treatment and also financing for COVID-19 patients will begin to be shared or cost sharing with BPJS Kesehatan," he said.

To note, state expenditures in the 2022 RAPBN are planned at IDR 2,708.7 trillion, which includes central government spending of IDR 1,938.3 trillion and transfers to regions and village funds of IDR 770.4 trillion.

Meanwhile, state revenues in 2022 will be Rp1,840.7 trillion, consisting of tax revenues of Rp1,506.9 trillion and Non-Tax State Revenues (PNBP) of Rp333.2 trillion.

That means the budget deficit will touch IDR 868 trillion or 4.85 percent of (gross domestic product (GDP).