In 2014, a national health insurance programme (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, or JKN) was introduced in Indonesia, with the objective of improving access to health services and providing financial protection. In 2017, a mobile phone application (Mobile JKN) was subsequently introduced to make it easier for members to register with JKN, to support the payment of contributions for those outside the formal sector, and to provide members with information about their entitlements. At the same time, the objective was to reduce administrative costs for the health insurance agency, BPJS Kesehatan, which manages JKN.

This paper looks at how Mobile JKN was designed and implemented and explores its effects. There are important positive contributions of Mobile JKN on health financing, such as simplified membership renewal, information to members to access health services, as well as improved collection of contributions from members in the informal sector. Through a reduction of face-to-face interactions at BPJS branch offices, administrative costs have also reduced. However, Mobile JKN does not yet reach its full potential and faces several challenges, including the digital divides among JKN members in terms of digital literacy, ownership of smartphones and internet connectivity. Limited data integration and interoperability across different systems is another shortcoming to be addressed. The paper provides policy options to further strengthen Mobile JKN design and implementation.