GOVERNMENT URGED TO CANCEL HIKE IN BPJS PREMIUM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 16 (Antara) - The government has been urged to cancel the move to increase the monthly premium amount that participants have to pay to the Healthcare Social Security Management Agency (BPJS Kesehatan).          "The increase in premiums violates the principle of mutual assistance adopted by the BPJS Kesehatan as it is a social insurance scheme. If the premiums are raised, then how will it be any different from the commercial insurance schemes?" Chairman of the Indonesian Consumers Institute Foundation (YLKI), Tulus Abadi, was quoted as asking by the Institute on its official website on Tuesday.          The President of the Indonesian Workers Unions Confederation (KSPI), Said Iqbal, also aired the same views. "It is the budget for the PBI which should be increased to overcome the financial problems being faced by the PBJS Kesehatan, instead of raising the premiums that non-PBI participants have to pay," Iqbal said in a press statement here on Wednesday.