The success of BPJS Kesehatan (national health insurance agency) as the agency that administers Universal Health Coverage or National Health Security depends much on the participation. The quality not only relates to the knowledge on health security, but also the awareness among participants to make healthy lifestyle a habit.
"The member that has good quality is one that consistently pays the premium and always keep their health,” said Director of Centre for Health Management Policy UGM, Dr. dr. Andreasta Meliala, DPH., M.Kes, in a national Seminar themed 'the Role of Indonesian Students towards Universal Health Coverage 2019' in The Auditorium of Faculty of Medicine UGM on Wednesday (16/3).
According to Andreas Meliala, in some countries there was misperception of Universal Health Coverage. In Thailand when the Universal Health Coverage was implemented, the quality of health service was decreasing. Patients tend to ignore keeping their health and became spoiled whilst asking for service higher than deemed. “This results in the burden that is born by the government heavier," he said.
The Seminar was organised by Indonesian Graduate Students Association, attended by no less than 300 participants from across Indonesia. This Seminar opened the national meeting of the Association and was officiated by Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc, Ph.D.
Head of Public Health study programme of the Faculty, Dr. Mubasyir Hasan Basri, M.A, said the role of students in making the national health security a success is to give the right understanding and monitoring the performance of BPJS Kesehatan. “In addition, the student role is to control the quality of health in the regions outside Java,” he said.
I Gusti Ayu Mirah, Head of Marketing Department of BPJS Kesehatan for Regional VI, , said students can be participants of BPJS Kesehatan through collective membership that is managed by the university. "Up to now, there are 13 state universities and 18 private universities cooperating with BPJS Kesehatan," she said, adding that many benefits can be gained from collective membership.