Insurance & payment
Will your insurance pay, and how do you pay a Chinese hospital?
Public schemes in the US, UK, Canada and Australia generally don’t pay for planned treatment abroad, and most travel insurance excludes it. Large Chinese hospitals take foreign cards and cash, and some international health plans settle bills directly. Here is what the official sources say, as of October 2026.
- USD 5,000
- Foreign cards linked to Alipay / WeChat Pay: limit per paymentPBOC, 2024
- USD 50,000
- Foreign cards linked to Alipay / WeChat Pay: limit per yearPBOC, 2024
- 6
- International card networks Beijing hospitals accept, listed in the city’s official medical guideVisa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, Diners, JCB
- RMB 20,000
- Cash: bring more than this in RMB, or more than USD 5,000 in foreign currency, and you must declare itChina Customs
United States
Medicare usually doesn’t pay outside the US
Medicare.gov: “Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you’re traveling outside the U.S.” Some Medigap policies cover emergency care abroad, not planned surgery. Employer and marketplace plans vary; ask for written confirmation before you book.
United Kingdom
The NHS S2 route stops at Europe
The NHS says neither the S2 route nor the EU directive route applies to treatment outside Europe, and that most travel insurance won’t cover planned treatment abroad. Private medical insurance varies by policy.
Australia and Canada
Public cover doesn’t travel with you
Services Australia: “If you’re in another country and you need medical care, Medicare won’t cover you.” Smartraveller says basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism. In Ontario, planned treatment abroad needs written approval from the ministry before treatment, or you pay all costs.
Paying in China
Foreign cards, mobile pay and cash all work at large hospitals
Beijing’s official medical guide lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB; some hospitals have dedicated foreign-card counters. Alipay and WeChat Pay accept linked foreign cards, with a fee of about 3% on larger payments (check the app). Since February 2026, refusing cash is not allowed. Expect to pay a deposit before an inpatient stay.
We handle the China part
An itemised price before you book, and receipts in English after
We get the hospital’s itemised quote in writing, help you set up payment before you arrive, and give you itemised receipts and reports in English so you can claim whatever your insurer will reimburse.
Insurance and payment questions
Does Medicare cover medical care received abroad?
Usually not. Medicare.gov says Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care outside the US, apart from a few specific emergency situations. Medigap policies may cover emergency care while travelling, but not planned treatment.
Does travel insurance cover surgery abroad?
Generally not if the trip is for treatment. The NHS and Australia’s Smartraveller both say most travel policies exclude planned treatment, and one large Australian insurer’s wording excludes travel undertaken to obtain treatment and complications of elective procedures. Look for a policy written for medical travel.
Can international health insurance direct-bill a hospital in China?
Some can. Bupa Global offers cashless settlement for in-hospital and day-case treatment at facilities in its network, with pre-authorisation. Beijing’s official medical guide says patients with high-end commercial insurance may use direct billing, and names MSH China, Ping An, AIA, Cigna & CMB and Allianz Partners.
Can you pay at Chinese hospitals with foreign cards or cash?
Yes. A 2024 State Council measure requires hospitals to accept mobile payment, bank cards and cash, and Beijing’s official guide lists the major foreign card networks. Card payments in a foreign currency are converted at the day’s rate.
Does a Chinese hospital require a deposit before treatment?
Usually for an inpatient stay. Since 2025, public hospitals have dropped outpatient deposits and lowered inpatient deposits for patients on Chinese insurance, but there is no set limit for self-paying foreign patients. We tell you the expected deposit in advance.
Read more
- Travel Insurance With Pre-Existing Conditions, Over 70 or Cancer
How travel insurers treat pre-existing conditions, travellers over 70 and cancer, where to find specialist cover, and what no standard policy will pay for.
- Travel Insurance for a Medical Trip to China: What It Covers
Why standard travel insurance excludes planned treatment abroad, what specialist medical travel cover and international health plans do, and what to ask before a trip to China.
- Paying for Treatment Abroad: Installments, Loans and Cards
Whether hospitals abroad offer payment plans, how medical credit cards and loans work, what card travel insurance covers, and how to pay a large hospital bill in China.
- Paying a Chinese Hospital: Foreign Cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cash
How foreign patients pay Chinese hospitals: which cards large hospitals accept, Alipay and WeChat Pay limits for foreign cards, cash rules, deposits and what to set up before you fly.
- Does Medicare Cover Treatment in China? Advantage and Medigap Too
What Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medigap pay for care abroad, how foreign claims work, and what planned treatment in China costs if you self-pay.
- International Health Insurance Direct Billing in China
Where international health insurance can direct-bill hospitals in China, how pre-authorisation works, how to claim if you pay upfront, and what visitors pay.
Show all 10 articles
- How Much Does Medical Care Cost in China for Foreigners?
What foreign patients pay in Chinese hospitals: doctor visits, scans, checkups, dental, joint and spine surgery, IVF and more, with how prices compare with the US and UK.
- Hospital Stay and Caregiver Costs in China: Rooms, Days, Family
What a hospital stay in China costs per day and in total, what single rooms and international wards charge, what a 24-hour caregiver costs, and where family can stay.
- Does My Insurance Cover Treatment in China? Home Cover Explained
Whether US, UK, Canadian and Australian insurance covers treatment in China, how Chinese hospital billing works for visitors, and what you need to claim.
- Does Health Insurance Cover Treatment Abroad? Check and Claim
Which kinds of insurance pay for planned treatment abroad, how to check your own cover, how to file a claim, and what surgery costs in China when you self-pay.
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