Indonesian health security agency BPJS Kesehatan (lit. ‘Social Security Agency on Health’) reports that over 124,000 expatriates are enrolled in the National Health Insurance scheme, with contributions exceeding healthcare costs.
Ali Ghufron Mukti, President Director of BPJS Kesehatan, recently divulged that, at present, there are more than 124,000 foreign nationals in Indonesia who are participants of the National Health Insurance scheme (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional or JKN). He also reported that the contributions collected remain higher than the expenditure on medical treatment.
Mukti cited Bali as an example. There are 15,000 foreign nationals registered as JKN members there, yet BPJS spending on healthcare in the province is less than Rp1 billion per year.
“What is interesting is that the contributions collected from all of this are still more than what we spend on medical treatment or healthcare for these 124,000 foreign nationals,” Mukti told the press on Tuesday, the 16th of September.
He also added, “In Bali, it is less than Rp1 billion per month, with 15,000 foreign residents.”
Mukti explained that expatriates who work in Indonesia for at least six months are legally required to be JKN participants, in accordance with Law No. 24 of 2011 concerning BPJS. Therefore, in actuality, not all foreign nationals are eligible to register as JKN participants. He further clarified that the contributions paid by the foreign nationals eligible for the JKN scheme are the same as those paid by Indonesian citizens. The contribution is taken from 1% of the basic monthly salary, with a further 4% paid by the employer.
“Especially in Article 14, which states that not only everyone is required to be a participant [of JKN], but [this] also [includes] foreigners who have worked [in Indonesia] for at least six months. This generally does not apply to tourists; instead, it [applies] to workers in the formal sector, not the informal sector,” Mukti explained.