Healthcare for Foreigners in Beijing

Having quality healthcare services is always an important aspect to keep in mind when moving to a foreign country, if it is not for yourself, it will for your family, friends, or loved ones who want to be safe and healthy. Let’s look into healthcare facilities offer for ex-pats in Beijing. 

Doctors and Hospitals

In Beijing, there are many healthcare clinics and hospitals. The private international clinics like Beijing United Family Hospital are the high end and most expensive options.

Public hospitals also offer quality care and often have VIP facilities. The staff may not speak English, so you have to speak Chinese in local hospitals.

The local neighborhood doctors may only look after the people living near their quarters and may not have complete medical tools. However, they are good for minor issues like colds and aches.

Visiting an International Hospital in Beijing

Here I would like to share a bit more info about Beijing United Family Hospital. It is the only healthcare hospital in Beijing that I most visited. Its Chinese name is Hé mù jiā yī yuan 和睦家医院. It is located in Chaoyang Beijing. Doctors and staff speak English very well; most of them are trained abroad. You can easily get an appointment within a few days. In urgent issues when you don’t get an appointment with your doctor, BUFH provides efficient urgent care. It is one of the best international hospitals in Beijing. You will find many foreigners there.

After the checkup, you have to go to the counter to settle the bills. BUFH also offers direct billing with many insurance companies. You can use your insurance card to pay bills. For medicine, you can go to a pharmacy, which is available on site. 

Visiting a Chinese hospital

I don’t have personal experience with a public Chinese hospital, but my friend has visited a local hospital. She visited there with her Chinese friend. She needs medical care for herself, for this she has to visit multiple hospitals for a few weeks. 

In a public Chinese hospital, you have to speak Chinese or bring a Chinese friend who can address medical issues for you. There you will spend a lot of time waiting for your call, to see the doctor, and to pay for a test. After the test you have to wait for the report, then to see the doctor again.

Keep in mind that it will take a lot of time to get medical care in a public hospital. You have to be calm there. 

Western Medication and Traditional Chinese Medicines 

Both Western and traditional Chinese medicines are available in public Chinese hospitals or clinics. Traditional Chinese medicines have been used for many years. They are easy to get. The traditional medicines are often used to treat cold and other minor health issues. 

In China, Western medicines may be different than in the US. In the local pharmacy, you may not get the Advil or typical western medicines for blood pressures that are typically available in the US. For those, you have to go to a foreign pharmacy or clinic.

Health insurance in China

In China, for ex-pats, there are two main ways to get health insurance: getting insurance through your company or buying insurance yourself. If your company provides insurance for employees, make sure to know everything about it. If you are not satisfied with the insurance offered by your company, you can buy additional insurance for yourself. 

For buying insurance, the internet is a convenient way to learn about the aspects and companies. Be sure to choose a reliable insurance company that has a good rating. Make sure to check if the policy resumes automatically or if the company can reject treatment or increase the premium if you had any medical case in the previous time.

You should also consider your insurance in your home country. Would you want to carry on your insurance policy in your country? Will it be easy to retrieve the policy when you go back to your country? Is there any paperwork you need to prove you had an insurance policy in China? This topic is probably complicated for Americans than for people from other countries that have a universal healthcare system. 

Going without Insurance

Some students or other people with a short budget may consider going without insurance because for ex-pats the medical cost can be cheap in China. So for minor health issues, you can choose this option. 

However, for some serious health issues, it is better to buy insurance. If you are dealing with any critical health issue, a higher-deductible policy is not costly; it will give you the option to go to an international clinic. Always choose the best option that will able you to get better facilities.