Health Card and Health Care Facilities Demand Among the Indonesian Elderly

This paper evaluates the health card subsidy, issued by Indonesian government after the financial crisis in 1997, benefits the elderly health care demand. The health card subsidy provided free access to health services; and was accepted at all health center or ‘puskesmas’. Using the Indonesia Socio-economic survey data (Susenas) for 2003, our results show health cards issued to the poor consistently caused increase the demand on health care facilities among the 55 year old population. Unfortunately, it is also found that the health card benefited wealthier individuals in their access of health centers or ‘puskesmas’.