PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan has prohibited hospitals from turning away patients, especially during the transition period for health insurance membership arrangements. He assured that he will take firm action against hospital management if cases of patient refusal are discovered.

"If a patient is turned away, I will wipe out the hospital management. That's not allowed," Farhan asserted firmly on Tuesday (February 10, 2026).

Farhan explained that the Bandung City Government is currently transitioning data on Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI). The PBI status of 71,200 participants was revoked because, based on updated data, they had moved up from decile 5 to deciles 6 and 10.

Meanwhile, the Bandung City Government is registering approximately 72,000 new residents in deciles 1 and 2 for health insurance through the PBI scheme. This administrative process takes time, resulting in a transition period.

"Because we're eliminating 71,200 people, but registering 72,000. Well, that takes time. That's why I call this a transition period," he said.

Farhan confirmed that emergency and life-threatening cases must continue to be provided through the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme. Once residents are identified as belonging to deciles 1 and 2, they can immediately be included in the UHC scheme.

"Those who are life-threatening will definitely receive UHC immediately. Regardless, if it's known they come from deciles 1 and 2, they'll receive UHC immediately," he said.

He acknowledged that during this transition period, there were complaints, including from dialysis patients who require routine services two to three times a week.

According to him, this problem occurred because the administrative process for transferring membership does take time.

However, Farhan stated that a safety net has been prepared through the Bandung City UHC scheme.

He stated that Bandung City's UHC capacity is sufficient to anticipate potential service gaps during the transition process.

"This transition process is indeed quite painful, but we're facing it together. The safety net is called UHC," he said.

He also confirmed that he would directly oversee implementation on the ground. Hospitals were asked to continue serving patients whose membership status was undergoing adjustments.

"If the transition process isn't complete, we'll continue to provide services using UHC. I'll oversee that directly," he said. (Bandung City Communications and Information Office/rka)