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Where will you find high-quality health centres in China? This is a country that is defined by its diverse health care system. In the likes of Shanghai and Beijing, expats will find Western-style medical facilities that fall in line with what they are used to.
In fact, good quality care is typically available in most of the country, but you will need to go private in order to experience it. If you do this, you can expect to have access to medical staff that speak English and have undergone Western training. Their service-orientated treatment and high standards are what most expats are looking for. Of course, you will need to have a private COVID test in your home country before you are able to go, so you need to sort this and a private policy for China.
The varying standards of health care in China can lead people to assume that the cost of health care is relatively low. This is a wrong assumption to make. In fact, some of the costs are exceptionally high. One of the main reasons for this is patient transport. Patients will often have to be transported to medical centres to get the treatment they need. This can even involve being airlifted to Singapore or Hong Kong if they have a serious condition.
This further highlights why international health insurance is of paramount importance. Without it, you can undoubtedly find yourself facing astronomical medical bills. It is an extremely risky approach to take, especially when 100 per cent free health care is not available and when you consider the fact that public treatment is limited in regards to foreigners.
In addition to this, when choosing the right global medical insurance plan for your needs you should also look for a policy that has a relatively high annual limit. This is to accommodate the fact that health costs can be high in the country. When you consider that patient transport is often required you see how the costs can easily mount up. It is not uncommon for you to face costs from your local hospital for their advice, transportation costs and then costs from the specialised hospital you have been referred to. This can lead to a huge bill, which is why you need to be mindful when considering the annual limit of your policy.
If you are planning on relocating to China, acquiring international medical insurance should be at the top of your to-do list. A lot of people consider local policies. Yet this is ill-advised. It is actually exceptionally difficult to buy local Chinese health policies abroad. Moreover, if you go for a global medical insurance plan you have the satisfaction that you are covered all over the world. In some instances, a Chinese embassy will require proof of health insurance before they issue a particular visa type. This can often be the case for foreign students. Don’t leave anything to chance. Find a quality worldwide health insurance policy before you move abroad and before you apply for your visa.
All in all, hopefully, you now have a better picture of health care in China. Whilst it may be possible to access the government-funded system, this is not without its hurdles and barriers. The standard of care is extremely mixed across the country and expats are advised to acquire international health insurance before they move. By doing this, they can be confident that they will experience high standards of care whilst gaining access to the best hospitals, doctors and facilities across the country. This provides ultimate peace of mind.
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