Health Circular, BPJS Premiums Up, Helping Healthcare Workers
May 14, 2020 | AmCham Indonesia
Dear AmCham Members and Friends,
If anyone doubted the difficulty of maintaining social distancing in Indonesia, we were all drawn to the photo of crowds packed around the ticketing counters in Soekarno-Hatta’s Terminal Two on Thursday, May 14. We can only hope the airport authorities succeed in their pledge to thin the crowds, especially as the government mulls relaxing tough social distancing measures. We feel for this dilemma. It is not easy to balance health concerns over COVID-19 with the need for people to maintain their livelihoods. AmCham, for its part, wants to assist in any way we can as the government moves forward.
New Health Protocols Confuse Entry to Indonesia
The Ministry of Health has issued new health eligibility protocols for Indonesian citizens and foreigners arriving in Indonesia to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from abroad. The circular could further complicate entry into Indonesia for KITAS/KITAP holders. Minister of Health Circular Letter No. HK.02.01/MENKES/313/2020 stipulates the health protocol for handling Returning Indonesian Citizens and Foreign Arrivals from Foreign Countries at State and Regional Entrances in Situations of Large-Scale Social Restrictions.
The circular letter says that eligible foreigners must provide a health certificate in English showing a negative COVID-19 PCR test result with a maximum seven-day period of validity after being issued by a health facility from the country of origin. The certificate will have to be validated by the Port Health Authority (PHA) at the port of entry to Indonesia upon arrival. (It can be difficult in many countries to obtain a PCR test on demand).
For foreigners carrying health certificates with negative COVID-19 PCR results, the PHA will require an additional health check to be completed on arrival. A health certificate and Health Alert Card (HAC) will be issued after the PHA deems the foreigners are free of disease. The health certificate will allow the holder to continue his or her journey but the individual will still be required to perform self-quarantine for 14 days. After reaching their final destination, the health clearance needs be submitted to the local health department for monitoring purposes.
If foreigners do not have a health certificate, or a health certificate that does not show a negative PCR result, an additional health check will be performed, including a Rapid Test. Foreigners who have co-morbidities and show positive Rapid Test results, will be sent to an emergency hospital for further isolation. Other situations are explained in the full text of the letter.
Ministry of Manpower Represented at HR Committee Meeting
More than 70 people turned up for AmCham’s HR Committee meeting on Thursday, May 14, to discuss pressing issues related to the pandemic crisis with Dr. Haiyani Rumondang, Director General of Industrial Relations and Social Security, at the Ministry of Manpower.
She told the meeting she valued meeting with AmCham members to discuss industry concerns and share the latest government policies. The dialogue is helpful to the government, she said.
To deal with the current COVID-19 situation, she said the government has imposed policies to assist in mitigating the pandemic, including physical distancing, economic incentives and other measures. However, more information is still needed to better understand the current situation of companies, especially the impact on workers.
The committee will take a break from its weekly meeting schedule for Idul Fitri and will resume activities in June.
AmCham Cares: HP
To assist government and local communities during this time of crisis, AmCham Platinum Benefactor HP and its print partners have produced COVID-19 educational signs and donated masks and hand sanitizers with personalized labels to 12 cities in Indonesia and the DKI Jakarta police.
HP is also helping kids learn better with HP Print & Play (http://www.hp.com/id/printandplay), a free online platform with curated print craft activities. HP is also helping its partners and customers with customer support, including 24/ 7 virtual agents, 8-5 contact center access via phone and WhatsApp and self-service features.
HP is compliant with health and safety guidelines, including the deployment of enhanced safety protocols, health checks, rigorous cleaning and stricter access. It also helps employees manage their personal well-being with ToGether at Heart employee sessions and access to industry experts. HP has also further enabled productivity and collaboration by implementing technology and best practices for employees as they work from home.
Implementing Regulation for Economic Recovery
Government Regulation No. 23/2020 (GR 23/2020) on Implementation of the National Economic Recovery (NER) Program was issued on Monday, May 11. It will be the legal basis for incentive disbursement to mitigate the impact of the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To implement the NER, the government will take four steps: carry out state capital participation (SCP), placement of funds, government investment and provide guarantees. SCP will be directed to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) or through designated SOEs to improve their capital structure or that of their subsidiaries affected by COVID-19.
The placement of funds is intended to provide liquidity support to banks that carry out credit restructuring or provide additional credit. It will only be valid for banks meeting specific criteria, such as 51 percent owned by Indonesian citizens, categorized as healthy and classified as one of the 15 largest banks with assets in Indonesia.
Guarantees can be made directly by the government or through designated guarantee business entities. GR 23/2020 also regulates interest subsidies to debtors, finance companies and institutions providing distribution to government credit programs for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that meet certain requirements, with a maximum ceiling of Rp 10 billion.
BPJS Premium Increase
President Joko Widodo has increased social security health insurance premiums to BPJS Kesehatan through Presidential Regulation (PR) Number 64/2020 concerning the Second Amendment to PR Number 82/2018 concerning Health Insurance. The regulation will increase contribution payments after an earlier proposal to raise them was denied by the Supreme Court.
The government said the premium increases were to maintain the quality and sustainability of BPJS Kesehatan and to keep funding in harmony with state financial policies. The regulation sets contribution rates for several participant segments and changes the composition of contribution payments by the government for participants who receive contribution assistance.
The new premiums will help BPJS Kesehatan with its cash flow difficulties and reduce its debt obligations. First and second class premium increases will come into effect from July 1, 2020, onward. The class 3 premium will increase in 2021.
Habitat & AmCham Help Healthcare Workers
AmCham’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity and OYO, Sheltering Those Who Care for Us, aims to provide temporary lodging in hotels for frontline health care workers. These brave doctors and nurses are often sleeping in hospital hallways at night because their families and communities are fearful of infection. We are asking our companies to pledge a modest amount to help give these workers a decent place to sleep during the COVID-19 crisis.
What is Your Company Doing on COVID-19?
Please let us know what measures your company may be taking in the form of donations and other assistance to help Indonesia during this time of confusion and concern. Contact astari.sutjiningtyas@amcham.or.id with your news. We would like to publicize the ways that our AmCham companies are pitching in.
Now is the Time to Join AmCham!
We are continuing with a full slate of meetings, events and information offered to our community online. But we can only do this through the support of our members. If you are not yet an AmCham member, please join now. AmCham Indonesia is open to all companies with an interest in US business relations and we have many non-American members. We are a community and we welcome you!
The AmCham Office is on work from home status and all face-to-face meetings and events have been postponed. We are having a number of meetings online using the Zoom platform. You will be notified of virtual meetings as they are scheduled.
UPCOMING:
Forum on Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Indonesia and Post Pandemic Outlook – Via Zoom, May 18, 08.00-09.00 am.
Education & Workforce Development Committee Online Forum– Looking Towards Education's Future. Via Zoom, May 18, 09.30-11.11 am. REGISTER HERE.
Foreign Chambers Discussion with West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil– Via Zoom, May 18, 15.30-16.30 am. REGISTER HERE.
Managing Through COVID-19 in Indonesia– A Webinar with Doug Ramage and Jim Carouso of BowerGroupAsia. Via Zoom, May 19, 10.30-12.00 am. REGISTER HERE.
