BPJS Health Improves The Quality Of Kidney Disease Services

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - BPJS Kesehatan Managing Director Ali Ghufron Mukti said his party continues to improve the quality of health services for participants diagnosed with kidney failure.

"Health BPJS simplifies procedures through easy access to services and administration for dialysis/hemodialysis (HD) patients undergoing routine therapeutic care in hospitals," said Ghufron, at a press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday, March 9. hospital through the Vclaim application without the need to go to First Level Health Facilities (FKTP). The referral validity period was extended to 90 days, he added.

Kidney failure is one of the catastrophic diseases or high-cost diseases, which is covered by the National Health Insurance-Indonesian Health Cards (JKN-KIS) which is managed by BPJS Kesehatan.

On this occasion, Ghufron also explained that the financing for cases of catastrophic disease still occupies the largest proportion of the total cost of health services as in previous years. Catastrophic costs reach 21-25 percent of the cost of referral health services in 2018 - 2021. Meanwhile for failed diagnoses kidney, is included in the four largest catastrophic financing, which is 10 percent of the total catastrophic costs by 2021.

"Although during the pandemic there was a decrease in overall health care visits, especially for catastrophic cases such as kidney failure, it remained high because participants continued to regularly visit the hospital to receive services. In 2021 there will be 6.3 million services (cases) of kidney failure at a cost of around Rp. 6.5 trillion," explained Ghufron.

BPJS Kesehatan guarantees various health services for kidney failure, starting from kidney transplantation at a cost of around Rp. 378 million for one procedure, dialysis/hemodialysis at a cost of Rp. 92 million/per year if performed 2 times a week per patient, and CAPD services at a cost of Rp. 76 million/per year for one patient.

Meanwhile, for the distribution of financing for hemodialysis services, based on age group, in general the most financing is dominated by the 51-55 year age group. Based on gender, male is dominated, and the youngest age of participants who take advantage of hemodialysis services starts from the age group 0-5 years. For this reason, Ghufron also said that education and implementation of healthy and lifestyle patterns are needed so that cases of kidney failure do not continue to increase.

“Kidney transplant services are currently recommended by experts as a better therapy than other therapies because of better quality of life and cost effectiveness. However, what is currently a challenge is the availability of kidney donors and the need for additional health facilities that provide kidney transplant services. Currently there are only 10 hospitals that can perform transplants,” added Ghufron.

Present at the press conference, the General Chairperson of the Executive Board of Pernefri Aida Lydia, Plt. Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases at the Indonesian Ministry of Health Elvieda Sariwati, Chairperson of the Indonesian Dialysis Patient Community (KPCDI) Tony Richard Samosir and Managing Director of PT. FMC Indonesia Parulian Simandjuntak.