UNAIR NEWS – Indonesia is entering the era of National Health Insurance (JKN). The government has targeted to reach Universal Health Coverage by 2019, meaning that the entire population of Indonesia will be covered by the JKN program. By the achievement of this target, the government can provide comprehensive health insurance for all people of Indonesia, so the welfare can be achieved.

However, there is a risk of ex post moral hazard and ex ante moral hazard. Several studies have shown evidence of ex post moral hazard or the increased visits to health care institutions to utilize the curative and rehabilitative facilities after having health insurance.

While the existence of ex ante moral hazard or the decrease of preventive health behavior in society after there is a guaranteed health insurance is still debate. Moral hazard is very important to note in order not to cause harm, both for the government and society.

“That’s why all of us, five students of the Faculty of Public Health Universitas Airlangga conducted a research to determine whether there is a decrease in public health behavior who is secured in health insurance (BPJS),” said Nita Kusuma Wardani, leader of the group in Student Creativity Program (PKM).

After writing the research in the proposal entitled “Analysis of Influence of Health BPJS Ownership to Healthy Behavior of Participants in Surabaya City”, the proposal written by Nita Kusuma Wardani, Dwi Elsa Mardiana, Malida Nurul Hidayah, Rina Wahyu Andani, and Sherly Dwi Agustiningrum, passed the selection of Dikti and they got research grant from PKM program Kemenristekdikti for 2016-2017.

Explained by Nita, participation of Health BPJS significantly affects the healthy behavior of participants in Surabaya. People who have BPJS health insurance will have healthy behavior 1.951 times better than the people who do not have health insurance.

“Healthy behaviors which we meant are preventive behaviors, such as regular exercise, maintaining a balanced nutritious food intake, and so on, all of which are done on the basis of personal awareness,” Nita added.

Based on the results of this study, we can conclude indirectly that the quality of National Health Insurance in Indonesia is quite good because the JKN program has proven not to cause ex ante moral hazard that causes participants to decrease their healthy behavior due to health insurance coverage. (*)

Editor: Bambang Bes