Jakarta, 14 December 2015 – It has been almost two years since the Health Social Security Administration (BPJS) has managed the National Health Insurance (JKN) program. However, until now, many people still complain about the poor quality of health services provided. PATTIRO and its network formed an association of BPJS Health card users to help the community and BPJS Health monitor hospital performance and the performance of BPJS Health officers in the field.
“This association is based on individuals, not organizations. So, anyone can join. “There is only one requirement, namely having a BPJS Health membership card,” said PATTIRO Public Service Specialist Rokhmad Munawir. Currently, new BPJS Health card user associations have been formed in Semarang Regency and Surakarta City, Central Java.
This association helps residents access health services provided by BPJS Health partner hospitals and becomes a channel for the community to submit complaints regarding the health services provided. Another main function is to monitor the performance of hospitals and BPJS Health. “Every public complaint and complaint regarding hospital services will be submitted to BPJS Health and used as a basis for evaluating the hospital,” added Rokhmat. “The association will monitor the problem-solving steps taken by BPJS Health.” To submit a complaint, the public only needs to fill out a complaint form which will then be submitted by association members to BPJS Health during regular meetings.
Director of PATTIRO Surakarta, who is also the administrator of the Surakarta City Health BPJS User Association, Andwi Joko Mulyanto, said that many complaints and complaints from the public had come to the secretariat of the Surakarta City Health BPJS User Association. According to Andwi, people generally complain about the long queues at BPJS Health registration counters. Online registration is not yet effective because the site provided is often problematic.
Andwi added that hospitals as service providers also often refuse BPJS Health participating patients on the grounds that the rooms are full. The hospital said that patients could be immediately referred to another hospital as long as they paid a certain amount of money for transportation costs. “This is certainly not the desired solution because people are forced to incur costs that are not really necessary,” said Andwi. “Many patients refused and were forced to return to first-level health facilities to ask for a referral letter for treatment at another hospital.”
Another problem revealed through meetings with this association is that hospitals often do not hesitate to reduce patients’ medication rations. In one hospital in the city of Surakarta, for example, diabetes patients who were supposed to receive 3 insulin injections every day only received two injections. “Once again, people are forced to spend more money to meet their need for medicine,” he said.
Andwi said that all the complaints had been submitted, and BPJS Health also promised to send a letter of warning to the hospitals that violated them. If necessary, termination of cooperation relations will be carried out.
The association will also help BPJS Health promote and socialize the JKN program considering that so far, many people do not understand the procedures and systems for registration, payment of contributions, and use of health services. Due to poor information, the public often misunderstands officers in the field. Rokhmat believes that education through small campaigns and public education is the solution.
It is indeed the duty and obligation of BPJS Health to resolve various problems regarding the implementation of the JKN program. However, BPJS Health will not be able to handle all existing problems without help from the community. “Civil society also plays a role and is responsible for helping improve the quality of health services provided by hospitals,” he stressed.
