JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo's decision to increase BPJS Health contributions amid the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn public criticism. He was even considered to have ignored suggestions from the legislature and decisions from the judiciary, namely the Supreme Court by issuing Perpres 64/2020 by a member of Commission IX of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction Saleh Partaonan Daulay.
According to him, so far Commission IX DPR RI has held meetings many times to discuss this BPJS Health. Whether commission meetings, joint meetings, or meetings with related ministries and agencies. In every meeting, the DPR always emphasizes that the increase in BPJS contributions is not the time to do so.
"It seems that the government has never listened to what was conveyed by the DPR. Even though we representatives of the people have always ignored. ... We always say this is not the right time to increase BPJS dues. This was before COVID-19, this means that when COVID-19 was very bad. right again but the government is ignoring the DPR, "said Saleh Daulay in an online discussion event broadcast on YouTube, Sunday, May 17.
Apart from ignoring the legislature, he considered, the government also ignored the Supreme Court. This is because the Supreme Court has canceled the previous increase in contributions and in its decision, said Saleh, there were a number of recommendations not to increase the premium. Including the matter of community and internal BPJS capabilities that need to be improved.
"But again, the government has raised it by issuing a new Presidential Decree. This is as if our government has designed it to refuse to cancel its intention to increase BPJS dues," he explained.
"So there are two pillars, the legislative and the judiciary, which the government neglects. That's serious, you know," added the PAN politician.
He admitted, if currently BPJS Health contributions returned to the rates as stipulated in Presidential Decree 82/2019 until July 2020. "That means only three months for the government to implement the Supreme Court decision. This means, in my opinion, the government is surfing above the Supreme Court decision, "he said.
According to Saleh, the government is not allowed to increase the BPJS contribution. It's just that, as long as governance is not improved like the existing recommendations, this step should be taken. This is because raising the BPJS would be an unsolvable step.
He also sees that the current government has issued too many Presidential Regulations (Perpres) and most of them cause controversy. So, these kinds of things must be prevented considering that they can erode people's trust in the government.
Perpres 64/2020, he said, also has the opportunity to be sued by people who object to the Perpres and the chances of winning are very high.
"If there is a lawsuit and win again. It's canceled twice, won't the president be ashamed?" asked him.
Stick with the argument of keeping qualityIn the discussion, the Main Expert of the Presidential Staff Office, Ali Mochtar Ngabalin, again emphasized that the increase in BPJS Health contributions as stated in Perpres 64/2020 is solely to maintain the quality of health insurance.
"So the most important point is the increase in fees to maintain quality and health sustainability," said Ali.
He admitted that the cancellation of the increase in contributions previously carried out by the Supreme Court had an impact and performance on the community, especially when financing COVID-19 patients in the midst of a pandemic like this now.
"In today's pandemic situation, the President wants BPJS to continue serving the public and supporting the financing of COVID-19 patients," he said.
Thus, it is on this basis that Perpres 64/2020 was issued. After all, Ngabalin considered, the government had paid attention to the Supreme Court's decision. In addition, the decision to increase this is in the domain of the executive, so that when the Presidential Decree was issued no response was issued from the Supreme Court.
"When the Presidential Decree was issued, the Supreme Court did not receive many responses because it involved the executive in making decisions," he concluded.
Reportedly, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has again raised the BPJS Health dues, after previously being canceled. This increase is contained in Presidential Decree Number 64 of 2020 concerning the Second Amendment to Presidential Regulation Number 82 of 2018 concerning Health Insurance.
The regulation was signed by President Joko Widodo on Tuesday, May 5. The increase in contributions for independent participants in the non-wage worker (PBPU) and non-worker (BP) segment is regulated in Article 34 as follows:
The Class I Contribution of IDR 150 thousand per person per month is paid by PBPU Participants and BP Participants or other parties on behalf of Participants.
Class II Contribution of Rp. 100,000 per person per month is paid by PBPU Participants and BP Participants or other parties on behalf of Participants.
The Class III contribution in 2020 is IDR 25,500, in 2021 and the following year it is IDR 35 thousand.
This Presidential Regulation states, the provisions for the amount of contributions above will take effect on July 1.
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