KPK: Without Improved Governance, BPJS Contribution Increase Will Be In Vain

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Nurul Ghufron hopes that the government will conduct another study related to the increase of BPJS Kesehatan again. This is because the increase in fees without improving governance will be in vain.

Moreover, in the Health Social Security Fund (DJS) Governance Study conducted by anti-graft agencies in 2019, said Ghufron, the KPK found that the root cause of the BPJS Health deficit was due to inefficiency in governance.

"So we are of the opinion that the solution to increasing the BPJS contribution before there is an improvement from our recommendation, does not answer the fundamental problems in the management of the health social security fund," Ghufron said in a written statement, Friday, May 15.

The increase in BPJS Health contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, would certainly decrease the level of public participation in this service. In fact, according to Law 40/2004, social security is a form of protection for the community to meet the basic needs of a decent life.

Ghufron then emphasized that BPJS Kesehatan can actually run without the need to increase their dues. Provided that a number of recommendations submitted by the KPK are implemented.

"If the KPK's recommendation is implemented, it is not necessary to increase the BPJS Health contribution which will be felt to be very burdensome to the community considering the current difficult situation," he said.

The recommendation that has been submitted by the KPK regarding BPJS Kesehatan is that the government through the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) can immediately complete the National Guidelines for Medical Practice (PNPK), conduct hospital control, and implement a co-payment policy for independent participants as regulated in the Permenkes 51/2018 concerning Cost Collecting and Cost Difference in the Health Insurance Program.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health must implement a policy of limiting benefits for claims for catastrophic diseases as part of prevention efforts, accelerating the implementation of a coordination of benefits (COB) policy with private health insurance, and regarding arrears for independent participant contributions, the KPK recommends that the government link the obligation to pay BPJS contributions with public service.

"We view that the recommendation is a solution to improve it is a solution to improve inefficiency and cover potential fraud that we found in the study," explained Ghufron.

So, this program can provide benefits and the provision of basic health services can be enjoyed by all people. In addition, the community will also not be burdened because of the increase in contributions which could have an impact on decreasing community participation in the social security program.

"The KPK believes that if the KPK recommendations are implemented first to resolve fundamental problems in the management of health social security funds, it will be able to cover BPJS Health deficits," he said.

Reasons for BPJS Health Contribution to Increase

After the increase was canceled by the Supreme Court's decision, President Joko Widodo again increased the BPJS Health contributions for Class I and Class II through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 64 of 2020 concerning the Second Amendment to Presidential Regulation Number 82 of 2018 concerning Health Insurance.

In Article 34 Paragraph 1 of the Presidential Decree states that in 2020, the tuition fees for class III participants will increase to IDR 42 thousand. However, the government provides a subsidy of Rp. 16,500, so the community only needs Rp. 25,500.

Meanwhile in 2021, the fees paid by Class III participants will be IDR 35 thousand because the government reduces the subsidy by IDR 7 thousand.

Meanwhile, Article 34 Paragraph 2 states that the premium for Class II independent participants increases to IDR 100,000 from the current IDR 50,000. Then, Paragraph 3 regulates the premium for Class I independent participants to increase to IDR 150 thousand, from the current IDR 80 thousand. This stipulation comes into force on 1 July 2020.

Responding to the increase, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartato said that the BPJS Kesehatan rate increase in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented to keep services running.

"For the government-subsidized dues, subsidies are still given. Well, others, of course, are expected to be contributions that can carry out the continuity of BPJS health operations," Airlangga said in a press conference broadcast on the Cabinet Secretariat YouTube account, Wednesday, May 13.

The Minister of Finance's Expert Staff for State Expenditure, Kunta Wibawa Dasa also explained about the increase. He said, the increase was intended as an adjustment to the JKN contribution so that this health program was sustainable and also provided timely and quality services.

Kunta said, on the basis of improving quality health services, Perpres 64/2020 concerning the Second Amendment to Perpres 82/2018 concerning Health Insurance was present. The increase in fees is not only to cover BPJS Health deficit.

"Not only there (closing the deficit), we want to improve the JKN contribution system, regarding benefits, basic service needs, and matters related to the JKN ecosystem, to remain healthy and sustainable. The idea is more there," he said, in a video conference with journalists. with the theme 'National Health Insurance Budget', in Jakarta, Thursday, May 14.