Jakarta Globe, Edi Hardum & Dina Manafe, December 12, 2013
State-owned
insurance companies are bracing for the rollout of what will be the world’s
largest health-care scheme, set to be officially introduced across Indonesia
next month.
Fachmi
Idris, the chief director of health insurance provider Asuransi Kesehatan, or
Askes, said on Wednesday that the company almost completed the transfer of
assets from other state insurers as part of the program to consolidate all
coverage under a single provider.
The
existing providers contributing to the scheme include Jamsostek, which manages
insurance for formal workers; Jamkesmas, which was set up to provide free
health insurance to the poor; and Asabri, which manages insurance for serving
and retired armed forces personnel.
“The
transfer process is still ongoing, but we expect it to be completed by the end
of the year, in time for the implementation of the new health insurance scheme
in 2014,” Fachmi said.
Under the
scheme, mandated by the National Social Security Law, a new umbrella agency
called the Social Security Organizing Body (BPJS) must be in place by Jan. 1
next year to manage the health coverage for Indonesians already subscribed to
the various other schemes. The BPJS will have an estimated 117 million
subscribers to begin with.
Besides
those covered by Jamsostek, Jamkesmas and Asabri, the BPJS will also insure
domestic workers and contract-based workers who currently do not qualify for
Jamsostek.
Fachmi said
Askes was working with the Home Affairs Ministry to compile a database of
Indonesians who would be covered by the BPJS.
He said
Askes was also carrying out internal improvements and systems and technology
upgrades to prepare for the implementation of the scheme.
Askes this
year opened five more branch offices across the country and upped its
headcount. Fachmi said the company would need at least 6,000 employees to
support the migration to the BJPS scheme. Askes currently employs 4,000 people
and plans to recruit another 1,500 staff.
Vice
President Boediono, speaking during a visit on Wednesday to Askes, called on
the company to ensure that all the supporting facilities and staff were in
place before the Jan. 1 deadline.
“I hope all
the related ministries and institutions responsible for the health sector can
take the concrete action needed” to ensure the success of the program, he said.
Elvyn G.
Massaya, the Jamsostek chief director, said his company was also ready for the
rollout.
“Anyone who
wants to access the workers’ insurance service will no longer have to wait for
long,” he said, citing the new computerized claims system put in place by the
company as part of preparations for integration under the BPJS.
“With this
kind of service, the BPJS will be seen as a world-class insurance service,”
Elvyn added.
Jamsostek
now covers more than 11.5 million workers, or just over a tenth of the 110
million Indonesians employed in the formal sector, according to data from the
Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
The company
manages more than Rp 130 trillion ($10.8 billion) in funds.
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