KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Indonesia's President Joko Widodo said on Monday the government would review a plan to raise the cheapest premiums of the state health insurer by 65% starting this month, after meeting with trade union leaders opposing the measure. BPJS Kesehatan, which provides universal health coverage for over 200 million people, regularly books claims that far exceed premiums it collects and the burden of supporting one of the world's biggest health systems carries a fiscal risk for Southeast Asia's largest economy. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati had announced the measure earlier this month to help cover some of the insurer's cash deficit, which is expected to reach 32 trillion rupiah ($2.26 billion) this year.
Indonesia president orders review of health insurance premium hike amid protests
KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Indonesia's President Joko Widodo said on Monday the government would review a plan to raise the cheapest premiums of the state health insurer by 65% starting this month, after meeting with trade union leaders opposing the measure. BPJS Kesehatan, which provides universal health coverage for over 200 million people, regularly books claims that far exceed premiums it collects and the burden of supporting one of the world's biggest health systems carries a fiscal risk for Southeast Asia's largest economy. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati had announced the measure earlier this month to help cover some of the insurer's cash deficit, which is expected to reach 32 trillion rupiah ($2.26 billion) this year.