Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government's total health expenditure reached Rp606.3 trillion (around US$37.04 billion) in 2023, with an increase in spending recorded from year to year, according to a special staff to the Health Minister."During COVID-19, it increased, in 2020–2021. It then declined in 2022 towards a normal state and then increased again a little. In 2020 and 2021, it was mostly for treatment and vaccines," the Health Minister's special staff for public health services, Prastuti Soewondo, said.
She made the statement at the "Seminar on Medical Costs: Looking for Solutions in the Midst of Rising Medical Costs" here on Tuesday. She explained that in observing health expenditure, it is important to differentiate between the public, private, and non-public sectors.
Of the total expenditure of Rp606.3 trillion, 57.2 percent came from the public sector, including the national health insurance program of BPJS Kesehatan, which is considered a quasi-government scheme.
Meanwhile, 42.8 percent came from non-public schemes. "If we look at social health insurance, it is increasing. In 2014, it was only Rp47 trillion (around US$2.87 billion) and now, it is almost Rp67 trillion (around US$4.0 billion). The increase is extraordinary," she said.
Soewondo compared the program to the spending on private health insurance that was recorded at Rp30.7 trillion (around US$18.7 billion) in 2023.
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However, Soewondo said that health expenditure in Indonesia is still low, accounting for just 3.7 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). She conveyed that the health minister hoping the health expenditure should not be as high as other countries, and should be of quality spending.
To this end, she highlighted the importance of having a standard in health expenditure to ensure the spending is necessary and in accordance with medical needs.
