While Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city, is becoming a hot destination for expats relocating to Southeast Asia, one of the most important things to be informed of is the state of its healthcare system. Nationally, Indonesia’s healthcare system is not up to par with neighboring or regional countries, such as Singapore or Thailand, although there are a growing number of private facilities and some improving public facilities in Jakarta. Yet for emergency or planned surgeries, many expats still prefer to go to neighboring countries for better care, making international medical insurance coverage a must-have item for those moving to Indonesia.
Public Healthcare Facilities
While Indonesia is not known for having quality healthcare systems, Jakarta does have many of the country’s best-equipped public facilities. However, no public hospitals have international accreditation. Even so, hospitals in the capital city have higher standards, leaving many of the city’s better hospitals to be in high demand and, therefore, many can be overcrowded.
Many hospitals will also rank their services, particularly in terms of accommodation. The different levels usually include general admittance, shared rooms and even VIP rooms. The VIP rooms offer more privacy and a higher level of services in terms of food and more personal care. In addition to major hospitals, the city has a few specialist hospitals, offering many treatments and medicines that are otherwise unavailable in the rest of Indonesia. Public hospitals and specialist facilities are open to foreigners, but foreigners are not included in any government healthcare scheme. If you plan to go to a public hospital you will either need to pay out of pocket for the treatment or see if your health insurance will cover you at the facility.
Although Indonesia is in the first year of a new healthcare scheme, the majority of people pay healthcare costs out of pocket. Healthcare costs vary at public facilities, as does the quality of care. It’s recommended that expats go to one of the country’s better facilities if immediate medical attention is necessary and you are unable to go to a private facility. International health insurance is not required for expats or tourists, but it is highly recommended that you obtain it to ensure you and your family have the best protection.
Private Healthcare Facilities
Private hospitals and clinics are the best option for expats looking for the best healthcare services in Jakarta. While there are some private facilities that are run by nonprofit or religious organizations, most are for profit. Indonesia’s private healthcare sector has seen significant changes in the last three years, as the Indonesian government began allowing foreign investment in the private sector in 2010. Despite the growth and emergence of private facilities in the city, foreign doctors are only able to be hired on as medical consultants. Jakarta is home to two of the five internationally accredited private hospitals, Bintaro Premier Hospital and Jatinegara Premier Hospital.
Private facilities range from hospitals to speciality clinics and include internationally recognizable names and locally operated facilities. International SOS and Global Doctor, two highly recognizable names, have clinics in Jakarta. Global Doctor even provides teleconference consultations with doctors in Australia. Another option is Medistra. This popular private hospital has 40 outpatient clinics and sees 90,000 outpatient patients per year. Meanwhile the hospital has 186 beds and sees about 8,500 patients per year for inpatient services.
Costs at private facilities are usually significantly higher than at public facilities, depending on the type of doctor and treatment needed. For example, a general consultation at Medistra costs about $27, while inpatient care can reach just more than $100 per day. Meanwhile, costs at International SOS can vary from about $40 for a general consultation and about $50 for a specialty doctor consultation. Inpatient care can cost up to $220 or more for daily care. While private clinics allow patients to pay out of pocket, typically payment is expected in full. Therefore, international Health Insurance for expats in Jakarta is an important item to have so that healthcare costs, anticipated and unanticipated, are covered.
Emergency Health Insurance in Jakarta
Given Indonesia’s location, the country has some of the world’s highest rates of natural disasters in the world. The country’s sometimes poor sanitation standards also makes water-born illnesses a higher risk when such disasters strike. As living in Indonesia presents some unique risks, it is highly advisable that foreigners include medical evacuation insurance in their plan. This type of insurance will cover cost of an emergency medical evacuation to either a larger city or another countries.
International Health Insurance in Indonesia
Life can be exciting living in Jakarta and investing in international health insurance coverage can be crucial for expats moving to Jakarta. This will make sure that you and your family are well-protected for everyday healthcare needs in case of unforeseeable accidents or emergencies, offering peace of mind during your time in Indonesia.
Source: Living in Jakarta: Healthcare, An Expat’s Guide
