The Tempo Version of BPJS Potential Loss
TEMPO of the June 9-15, 2020 edition published an investigation report, BPJS Leaking Money.
WE appreciate the investigative effort to correct the policy and open a discourse so that the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) undertakes reordering and its National Health Insurance-Healthcare Indonesia Card service improves. But something is quite disturbing, which is the conclusion of the estimated Rp47.59-trillion loss (page 21).
Without adequate explanation, this conclusion has the potential to frame public opinion in an inaccurate way: BPJS Kesehatan should eliminate the cause of leakage and should unnecessarily raise its premiums! Here Tempo jumps to the conclusion for having confused the potential for leakage with realization, risk with loss and inefficiency with fraud.
The issues of uncollectible arrears, cost inefficiency, fraud and risk mitigation obviously cannot be subsumed under the same category. For instance, there was conceptual confusion between leakage and the potential income that has not been realized. Participants’ premium arrears that based on accountancy are recorded as receivables cannot be readily treated as loss. The premiums of assistance beneficiaries as yet unverified cannot be regarded as loss either because government subsidies paid to the BPJS Kesehatan are recorded as income. The total of Rp47.59 trillion is also likely to lose credibility and just reduces the weight of this fairly profound and comprehensive report.
Sadly, Tempo did not interview the finance ministry while in fact many things could have been discovered and used as material for more in-depth investigation. The finance ministry has the function of formulating, determining and implementing policies in the areas of the state budget, treasury, expenditure and income.
President Joko Widodo through the finance minister is committed to reform the National Health Insurance management, among others through investigative auditing by the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) in order to identify the root of the problems and find the best solution. The findings and recommendation of the BPKP are utilized by stakeholders to improve the performance of BPJS Kesehatan, including the discovery that the value of fraud is not more than 1 percent of its total expenditure. Presidential Regulation No. 64/2020 is the execution of recommendations of various institutions, including a review of premium for being far below actuarial calculations, increasing the premium payment obedience and improving the service system management.
The government along with stakeholders is committed to keep striving hard to improve the National Social Security system to provide the best service to people of Indonesia.
Yustinus Prastowo
Special Staffer of the Finance Ministry for Strategic Communication
Disappointed by Tiki’s Service
ON April 16, 2020, I sent a parcel from Batam in Riau Islands, to Pamulang in South Tangerang, Banten, using the delivery service of Tiki. There were three items in the package: a handbody lotion, a Hugo Boss perfume and two boxes of Imboost vitamins, each containing 30 tablets.
Several days later the parcel was received at the address of my relative in Pamulang. When my relative returned home in the afternoon, the parcel was found to have a torn part that was neatly cellophane-taped (but still apparent that it had been opened).
My relative was suspicious as the parcel was very light and the suspicion was proven: some of the items were not in the package. After being checked, the Hugo Boss perfume was gone while the two Imboost vitamin boxes were there but their contents were reduced by 16 and 14 tablets respectively. A total of 30 tablets or one box was thus lost.
On April 24, 2020, I lodged a complaint to the head office of Tiki in Batam and was received by Ms. Rusiaty. I related what had happened. I was indeed mistaken because in the delivery column I only wrote handbody. Rusiaty acknowledged my complaint with number BTTKB. 030198081098 and requested some time to conduct investigation at Tiki Jakarta and Tangerang, Banten.
After a few days, Miss Rusiaty called me and notified that my parcel had arrived in Pamulang in the status of no problem. I swore that the parcel had been found in torn condition but neatly cellophane-taped and some of its contents were lost. I asked for an official report as evidence but Tiki insisted that the delivery had no problem so that there was no compensation.
Hermawan
Batam, Riau Islands
Tiki made no response to this letter until the time limit allowed—Ed.
Drive Away Anxiety and Frustration
A United Nations health expert has stated that the Covid-19 pandemic has given rise to a mental health crisis. The uncertain situation with all the new—and diverse—rules makes people easily anxious, worried and end in depression.
A report from the Unites States, apart from the resistance to racism, is quite startling. The Express Scripts Report records an increase in the number of prescriptions of anti-anxiety medications to 34 percent in March. The use of the anti-anxiety drugs doubles among women or increases to 40 percent. Among males, the use rises to 22.7 percent.
What has happened in the United States is in fact the same as what we experience today. The difference is that the record may be well compiled there, while we do not have a proper documentation.
The Psychologists Association assigned many volunteers as online counseling personnel to help relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression affecting us. A psychologist friend has provided services for free on weekend. I have heard that in this time, psychologists are most needed.
I hope many more circles will pay attention to this problem and avoid spreading toxic positivity that may further repress anxiety. It is okay to not be okay. Let us hope the government will act more retrospectively so as not to cause public anxiety to intensify as a result of policy acrobatics.