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Healthcare in China

Learn about the healthcare system in China

It is important for international students to understand their destination country healthcare system so they won’t be caught off guard when they get ill or injured while studying abroad.

The Chinese healthcare system contains both private and public hospitals. Most hospitals treat patients using a combination of Chinese and Western medicine, and offer a full range of medical services such as check-ups, x-rays, operations, MRI’s etc.

Tip: Chinese doctors love to prescribe IV fluids to their patients. If you have a fever or diarrhea, they will inject one or two bags of saline to help re-hydrate you. Don’t be shocked when you experience this phenomenon in China.

Public hospitals in China

There are over 13,000 public hospitals in China. However, China is a vast country and the healthcare system is not well balanced between rural and urban areas. International students studying in the big cities like Beijing and Shanghai could find two or three modernized public hospitals within a few blocks. But, if you are in the rural or country area, you may not find a clinic within 50 miles.

Many public hospitals in China have improved over the last 20 years, and are now very much up to Western standards in quality and equipment. However, with the density and aging population in China, international students will experience slow service and long queues at the public hospitals.

Language is another huge barrier for international students when they visit public hospitals in China. Not all of the public hospitals have staff that can speak English. This makes everything tougher for an international student when communicating with the doctor to locate directions to other lab facilities.

International students who wish to have English-speaking doctors and staff, as well as better customer care, will need to go to Public hospitals with International wings or VIP wards which can only be found in major Chinese cities. The International wings exist as partnerships between the public hospital and the private sector — they cost a little more than regular public hospitals, but still less than a private hospital.

Public Clinics

There are public clinics in almost every city in China, but they are not up to modern standard in everyway. Most of these clinics practice traditional Chinese medicine only and they are not too foreigner-friendly because they hardly speak and English.

International Students may find some clinics that display English word at the front door, they may have a limited of staff who speak a few words of English.

These clinics usually practice the following remedies:

  • Acupuncture and moxibustion
  • Cupping
  • Chinese herbal medicines
  • Bone-setting (aka DieDa)
  • Massage

Tip: Public hospitals and clinics should be the last resort for international students in a non-emergency situation unless you have mastered your Chinese language proficiency or have a local friend accompany you.

Private hospitals in China

Overcrowding, language barriers and cultural difficulties at public hospitals turn a lot of international students and foreigners to the private, foreign-invested hospitals and clinics in China, which has made the Private hospital market grow rapidly to a total of over 13,000. Even though the price and fees are sometimes more than twice what the public hospitals would cost, their Western style services and bilingual staff are what international students are looking for while they are not feeling comfortable.

However, due to the inconsistency of healthcare resource allocation, international students studying in China may only find these private hospitals and clinics in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. These private hospitals typically will ask for your insurance before they admit you and this is where international student insurance can help you.

Pharmacy in China

There are over 410,000 pharmacies across China and you can easily spot one when a green cross sign is hanging in front of their store. However, most of the prescription drug’s names and the usage labels are written in Chinese, but fortunately many of the prescription medications will also include the drug’s generic name in English on their box.

International students are encouraged to bring needed prescription medication for the entire study abroad period, just in case that medicine cannot be found or is restricted in China.

We offer the following plans to students who are planning to travel, study or visit China:

Europe Travel Atlas Travel Student Secure
Policy MaximumPolicy Max. €40,000 to €6 Million $50,000 to $2 Million $200,000 to $5,000,000 max$200k to $5M max
DeductibleDed. €0 up to €2,000 $0 up to $5,000 $25 up to $100
Currency € Euro priced $ USD priced $ USD priced
Premium Starting at €0.54/ day Starting at $0.85/ day Starting at $0.85/ day

Best Insurance Plans for China

We have a range of insurance plans, however for students studying in China the best insurance options are: