Health insurance in China: what actually covers you

✅ Updated Jul 2026

Short visits: buy travel insurance with medical cover BEFORE you come — it is the single best health decision for a trip. Chinese public healthcare is inexpensive by Western standards, but a serious incident at an international hospital can cost thousands, and travel policies cover emergency treatment, hospitalisation and medical evacuation. Living here: if you work in China, your employer enrols you in the public social insurance scheme (社保, shèbǎo), which includes basic medical insurance — it works well at public hospitals but does NOT cover private international hospitals. That is why most expats add a private international health plan (Cigna, Allianz, MSH, April and similar): these are accepted for DIRECT BILLING at hospitals like United Family and Jiahui, meaning you show your card and never touch the bill. Students usually get a basic university plan — check what it actually covers. Claiming: if you pay out of pocket, Chinese hospitals give you everything insurers need — keep the official receipt (发票, fāpiào), the medical record booklet (病历, bìnglì) and any test reports. Ask the desk to stamp them. Photograph everything before submitting a claim.