Health Insurance for Indonesian Migrant Workers

Health insurance is one of the aspects and part of the social insurance which must be given by the state to its
citizens, including migrant workers. There are millions of Indonesian migrant workers who work overseas, so
health insurance is an urgent need to be fulflled, as it is a constitutional right of the citizens. The government
gives a legal protection for migrant workers according to the legislation, the destination country’s law, as
well as the international laws and customs. One form of protection given by the government is the right to
receive health insurance. Each country has its own characteristics and procedures in giving health insurance
protection to its migrant workers, which may result to problems and obstacles in its implementation,
which is caused by differences in it law and its government’s administration. Indonesian social insurance
protection for migrant workers is managed by BPJS (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial/Social Security
Administrator) as written in the Mandate of 1945 Constitution (Amanat UUD 1945), yet in reality, health
insurance protection from the state of Indonesia for Indonesian migrant workers abroad is not yet operated
because the facility mechanism overseas cannot work together with BPJS Kesehatan (Health).