In short: Foreigners who work in Indonesia for at least six months must join the national social security programmes, including BPJS Kesehatan, the state health scheme. Employers register them and share the contribution. Most expat families still add private international health insurance, because BPJS works through a referral system at contracted facilities and does not cover care or evacuation abroad.
Moving to Indonesia raises two health questions that often get mixed up. The first is legal: do I have to join BPJS? The second is practical: is BPJS enough for my family? The answers are different, and both matter before you arrive.
Who must join BPJS Kesehatan
Indonesia’s social security law, Law No. 24 of 2011 on BPJS, states in Article 14 that every person, including foreigners who have worked in Indonesia for at least six months, must take part in the social security programme. BPJS Kesehatan runs the health part of that programme, known as JKN (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional).
In practice, this means:
- If you are employed in Indonesia on a work-based stay permit, your employer registers you through its company account. Registration usually happens through HR, not by you.
- Contributions are shared. For wage earners, the contribution is 5% of monthly salary: 4% paid by the employer and 1% by the employee (Presidential Regulation No. 82 of 2018, as amended by Presidential Regulation No. 64 of 2020). The salary used for the calculation is capped at Rp12 million a month, so the contribution does not rise above that level.
- Family members can be included. A wage earner’s registration can cover a spouse and up to three children, five people in total including the member.
- Health and employment schemes are separate. BPJS Kesehatan covers health. BPJS Ketenagakerjaan covers work accident, death and other employment benefits, and foreign workers are generally registered for both by their employer.
If you are not working in Indonesia, for example as a visitor, a retiree or an accompanying spouse who is not employed, the six-month work rule does not apply in the same way. Whether and how you can register independently depends on your stay permit, so check with BPJS Kesehatan or your relocation adviser.
How BPJS works in practice
BPJS is designed around a tiered system, and understanding it explains why many expats use it alongside private cover rather than instead of it.
- You start at a primary care facility. Each member is registered with a first-level clinic or doctor (FKTP). Non-emergency hospital care normally requires a referral from that facility.
- Only contracted facilities accept BPJS. Many hospitals work with BPJS, but not every private or international hospital does, and some accept it only for certain services. Ask the hospital directly before you rely on it. Our guide to international hospitals in Jakarta lists the main options.
- Inpatient rooms are being standardised. Under Presidential Regulation No. 59 of 2024, BPJS inpatient care is moving from classes 1, 2 and 3 to a single standard ward (Kelas Rawat Inap Standar, KRIS), with a maximum of four beds per room according to the Ministry of Health. Rollout timing has shifted, so check the current status with your hospital.
- Emergencies are handled differently. In an emergency, care at the nearest facility comes first. Keep your BPJS card and private insurance details with you at all times.
None of this makes BPJS a poor choice. It is a broad national scheme with a defined way of working. The question for an expat family is whether that way of working matches how you want to use healthcare.
Private international cover: what to check
Private international health insurance usually fills the gaps that matter most to expat families: choice of hospital, direct access to specialists, and treatment or evacuation outside Indonesia. Policies vary widely, so compare them on the points below rather than on price alone.
| What to check | Why it matters in Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Inpatient and outpatient limits | Some policies cover hospital stays only. Outpatient visits, scans and medicines can add up. |
| Area of cover | Check whether Singapore, your home country or worldwide treatment is included. |
| Medical evacuation and repatriation | For serious conditions, families sometimes choose treatment abroad. Evacuation is expensive without cover. |
| Direct billing in Jakarta | Ask which hospitals bill the insurer directly, so you do not pay large sums upfront. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Check exclusions and waiting periods before you sign, not after a claim. |
| Maternity and newborn cover | Usually comes with waiting periods. Plan early if you expect a child during the assignment. |
| Deductibles and co-payments | A lower premium often means a higher share paid by you. |
| Dental and vision | Often an optional add-on. |
This checklist is a starting point for questions to your employer, broker or insurer. It is not a recommendation of any product.
Employer or individual: who arranges what
| Item | Usually arranged by |
|---|---|
| BPJS Kesehatan registration and 4% contribution | Employer, through its company account |
| 1% employee BPJS contribution | Deducted from salary |
| BPJS Ketenagakerjaan | Employer |
| Private international health insurance | Employer as an assignment benefit, or the family directly. Check your contract. |
| Choosing a primary care facility and a hospital | You, with input from HR or your relocation adviser |
If your assignment letter mentions “medical cover” without detail, ask HR three things in writing: is it BPJS only or BPJS plus private cover, who is covered in the family, and does it include evacuation.
Before you arrive: a health cover checklist
- Confirm whether your employer registers you for BPJS Kesehatan and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, and from which date.
- Ask whether private international insurance is provided, and get the policy document, not just a summary.
- Check the policy’s area of cover, evacuation terms and pre-existing condition exclusions.
- List the hospitals near your planned home that accept your insurance by direct billing.
- Note which primary care facility you will register with for BPJS.
- Save emergency numbers and your insurer’s 24-hour assistance line on every family member’s phone.
- Bring copies of medical records and prescriptions, in English if possible.
Choosing where to live? Family homes from Noble Properties Asia
Where you live decides how far you are from your preferred hospital and clinic, so check travel times at rush hour before you sign a lease. These residences from the Noble Properties Asia portfolio are popular with families and currently have units for rent.
- Savyavasa · Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta · 6 units for rent, 2 to 4 bedrooms, 133 to 496 m², from Rp48.3 million to Rp175 million a month · pet friendly · one-year lease
- Verde Two · Kuningan, South Jakarta · 7 units for rent, 2 and 3 bedrooms, 132 to 230 m², from Rp39.6 million to Rp78.75 million a month · pets allowed with restrictions · one-year lease
- Atmaya Residence · Cilandak, South Jakarta · 3 units for rent, 3 and 4 bedrooms, 195 to 285 m², from Rp46.8 million to Rp72 million a month · one-year lease
- Executive Paradise Compound · Cilandak, South Jakarta · 1 unit for rent, 3 bedrooms, 250 m², Rp57.6 million a month · pets allowed with approval · one-year lease
Setting up life in Jakarta? Ask us what to arrange before you arrive
Health cover is one part of settling in. Our orientation and settling-in support helps families find their way around Jakarta’s hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in Jakarta, and plan the practical steps before and after arrival. We do not sell insurance or give medical advice, but we can help you ask the right questions.
- Email: connect@nobleasia.id
- WhatsApp: +62 813 1668 5505
Frequently asked questions Health Insurance in Indonesia
Is BPJS mandatory for foreigners in Indonesia?
Yes, for foreigners who have worked in Indonesia for at least six months. Article 14 of Law No. 24 of 2011 requires every person, including foreign workers who meet that threshold, to join the social security programme. Employers register their foreign staff and pay most of the contribution. Visitors and non-working residents fall under different rules.
Can expats use BPJS at international hospitals in Jakarta?
Only at hospitals that have a contract with BPJS Kesehatan, and usually only with a referral from your registered primary care facility. Some private and international hospitals accept BPJS for certain services, others do not accept it at all. Ask the hospital directly, and keep private insurance for care outside the BPJS network.
Does my employer have to provide health insurance?
Employers must register eligible workers for BPJS Kesehatan and pay 4% of salary, with 1% paid by the employee, under Presidential Regulation No. 82 of 2018 as amended in 2020. Private international insurance is not required by that rule. It is a benefit some employers include in assignment packages, so check your employment contract or assignment letter.
What should expat health insurance in Indonesia cover?
Look at inpatient and outpatient limits, the area of cover, medical evacuation, direct billing at Jakarta hospitals, pre-existing condition exclusions, maternity waiting periods and deductibles. These are the points that most affect expat families in practice. Compare policy documents side by side, and ask a licensed broker to explain anything unclear.
Can I join BPJS on a tourist visa?
Generally no. BPJS membership for foreigners is tied to working in Indonesia and holding a valid stay permit, and visitors on short-term visas are expected to have travel or private health insurance instead. If you plan to stay longer, check with BPJS Kesehatan which registration route applies to your permit.
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