Eko Wahyudi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) president Said Iqbal announced that his side was set to stage a demonstration against the premium hike of the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) insurance on Thursday, February 6.

The premium hike took effect per January 1, 2020, following the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 75/2019 on the amendment of Perpres No. 82/2018 concerning health insurance.

"The government should commit to its statement not to increase the premium for Class 3. The premium increase for contribution assistance recipients (PBI) and Class 1 and 2 is enough to cut off the deficit," Said noted in a written statement on Wednesday, February 5.

Said outlined five reasons why workers rejected the hike of BPJS insurance fee. First, he opined that the hike would drop people's purchasing power, especially those living in regencies or cities with a minimum wage of about Rp1 million.

BPJS, he went on, is public health insurance, neither a private firm nor a state enterprise that aimed at seeking profit. So, the government could not necessarily raise the rate without holding public discussion.

Said further revealed that workers had already dealt with a higher premium in line with the wage increase every year. Besides, the hike would cause participants to lower their class category or even change their health assurance.

Additionally, when people are no longer able to pay the burdensome insurance fee, the policy could be considered pressing the people, Said concluded.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto said after the meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) on January 20, that he could not yet reiterate solutions for the BPJS Kesehatan deficit because of lack of complete data.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1303726/workers-to-stage-rally-against-bpjs-kesehatan-premium-hike