It Is Not Appropriate To Increase BPJS Health Contributions When The Purchasing Power Of The Community Is Low

Illustrated. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinator of BPJS Watch, Timboel Siregar, assesses that the increase in fees for the Social Security Administering Body (BPJS) for Health on July 1 is inappropriate. Moreover, the increase in fees does not guarantee that it will save the deficit in the BPJS.

According to Timboel, the government has also announced that currently people's purchasing power is low due to the outbreak of the corona virus or COVID-19. Bank Indonesia has also predicted the inflation rate in May 2020 of only 0.09 percent on a monthly basis (month to month).

Furthermore, Timboel said, inflation would be the lowest in the last five years if it really happened. Even though this has been supported by the momentum of Ramadan, where normally inflation tends to be higher.

"It is not a problem juridically (to raise), but the timing is not right. In the first quarter of 2020, our economic growth was 2.97 percent, our purchasing power was low, why should it be increased now ?," said Timboel, in an online discussion with the theme 'JKN is fair and sustainable. ', Friday, 29 May.

Timboel questioned why the government did not increase the fees after the economy stabilized after the PSBB relaxation. So that economic activity appears again and informal workers who are mostly independent participants can start their business again.

In addition, Timboel did not deny that the increase in BPJS Health contributions was a necessity. However, this does not mean that the increase in fees is a solution for the government to overcome the deficit in the BPJS Kesehatan body that has been going on for years and continues to grow.

"This is a JKN problem that continues to occur, improvements do exist, but that's the case. Out of pocket is still happening, increases in fees can reduce out of pocket? Not really. Does the increase in fees automatically reduce the deficit? Not necessarily, "he said.

There is also a BPJS Health deficit in 2019 of IDR 15.5 trillion. This figure increased from the previous year which reached a deficit of IDR 9.1 trillion.

The increase in contributions, said Timboel, if it is not followed by improvements and management of BPJS Kesehatan, it will be useless.

"Perpres 75 and 64 are essentially an increase in fees, an increase in fees is a must, because regulations govern. But the problem is what kind of improvement," he said.

For your information, in Perpres 64/2020, the government will increase the BPJS Health premium starting on July 1.

The premium for Mandiri class I participants has increased from IDR 80,000 to IDR 150,000 per participant per month. Meanwhile, Mandiri class II increased from Rp. 51,000 to Rp. 100,000 per participant per month. The increase in both classes will take effect from July 2020.

Meanwhile, the Mandiri class III membership fee will increase from IDR 25,500 to IDR 35,000 per participant per month starting in 2021.