Emergency Preparedness Guide: Handling Medical Crises as an Expat in China
Expats in China can effectively prepare for an emergency by doing their research on potential health hazards along with precautions and seeking treatment. While health insurance in China is free for locals thanks to the government, expats do not have access to the country’s health insurance.
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It’s worth securing your own expat health insurance plan beforehand so your finances are safe from potentially overwhelming out-of-pocket payments resulting from medical bills.
Are you an expat living in China? Are you looking to safeguard your health and well-being in China? In this blog post, we will be going over emergency preparation to ensure expats in China can handle medical crises efficiently.
Potential Health Hazards in China: Safety for Expats
One of the potential health hazards you may face in China is food poisoning, which could also be attributed to water and air pollution when washing fruits and vegetables or buying street food.
Because food poisoning can result from water and air pollution, it’s crucial to remember not to wash fruits and vegetables with tap water and use boiled water instead as contaminants in tap water could spoil the fruits and vegetables upon consumption.
Make sure to wash your hands before meals to get rid of germs remaining on your hands that can contaminate food upon handling. Also, refrain from buying pre-made street food which can be susceptible to getting air-polluted from car fumes, and instead opt for freshly-made foods from restaurants.
Carrying a First Aid Kit as an Expat in China
The first step in formulating an emergency plan as an expat in China is to carry a first aid kit. By doing so, you can treat and prevent illnesses ranging from mild cases to more severe cases in a matter of minutes while at home in China.
Medication available in a first aid kit should be able to reduce the severity of injuries and prevent infection. However, if you are unsure of your particular illness or injury despite having a first aid kit with basic medication, seek medical attention immediately.
Formulating an Emergency Plan as an Expat in China
If all else fails and your illness or injuries worsen somehow despite the available medication at home, don’t hesitate and seek medical attention immediately as doctors will know the appropriate methods to treat the illness or disease, and any tampering on your own could worsen the condition.
If you would like to request an ambulance in China in case of severe injuries or illnesses, call 120.
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
If you need to be transported from your home country to a world-class hospital in China or if you need to be transported back to your home country for recovery after medical services in China, this is where the emergency evacuation and repatriation benefit comes in.
Emergency evacuation refers to services required in hopes of transporting patients from their home country to an overseas world-class hospital or clinic in the event of a medical emergency.
Meanwhile, repatriation refers to transporting patients back to their home country for recovery or rehabilitation after emergency services overseas.
Some insurers offering emergency evacuation and repatriation benefits include AXA Global, Bupa Global, and April International.
Why Health Insurance Matters for Expats in China
Nobody can predict illnesses and injuries, and expats are no different. Additionally, besides the unpredictability of the potential for catching certain diseases or sustaining certain injuries as an expat in China, there may also be specific illnesses in China your body doesn’t recognize yet.
Depending on the specific hospital and your condition, medical bills can be overwhelmingly expensive, and without adequate expat health insurance coverage, you’re gonna be paying a lot more out-of-pocket expenses than you’d like.
Understanding China’s Healthcare System for Expats
In China, local citizens and permanent residents get universal healthcare, albeit coverage can vary across regions. However, expats won’t have access to the country’s free health insurance and will have to secure their own health insurance plan beforehand.
China’s government-provided health insurance covers basics such as inpatient, primary, and specialist care, mental healthcare, physical therapy, emergency care, and dental extractions. However, dental cleanings, most optometry services, home care, and durable medical equipment are excluded.
Public and Private Hospitals in China
China has both public and private hospitals, each having its share of benefits and drawbacks. For instance, while public hospitals are widely used by Chinese citizens and hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing are better equipped, waiting times can be long due to the hospitals being crowded.
If you’re an expat seeking urgent care for emergency cases, opting for public hospitals may prove inconvenient due to the long waiting time as a result of the hospitals constantly being crowded.
Rural hospitals in China also have very few English-speaking medical staff, which will be incredibly problematic for non-Chinese speaking expats. If you are struggling with the language barrier in China, we recommend bringing along a translator (friend or family member) or using a translation app.
Meanwhile, despite being considerably more expensive than public hospitals, private hospitals make up for it with shorter waiting times thanks to the hospitals being less crowded as well as having access to greater amenities.
If you’re an expat in need of urgent medical care without having to wait for too long like in public hospitals, opting for private hospitals may be a better alternative. Also, if you need better amenities in the form of more comfortable hospital wards, this is where private hospitals shine.
In case expats need English-speaking medical staff due to language barriers, you also have the option of using VIP hospital wards in public hospitals or visiting international clinics.
When it comes to the best hospitals you can find in China, some notable choices include Beijing United Family Hospital, Amcare Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and Oasis International Hospital.
These notable hospitals offer a wide range of departments such as pediatrics, traditional Chinese medication, and dermatology, as well as services such as maternity care, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) treatment, and comprehensive tumor treatment.
With these notable hospitals, you ensure comprehensive care for not only yourself but also your family thanks to specific departments and additional services such as maternity, NICU, and other areas of treatment.
Medication and Pharmacies for Expats in China
There are usually 24-hour pharmacies available in major cities while large department-type pharmacies can be found in metropolitan areas. If you’re an expat in China heading to local pharmacies, you may find certain medications with labels only in Chinese or non-English speaking pharmacists.
You can bring along a Chinese-speaking friend or family member to help you work around the language barrier or write down the name of the medication you’re looking for.
Additionally, there may be specific restrictions or requirements when it comes to bringing certain medications to China. Make sure to do your research on whether or not your medication is forbidden in China.
Tips for Choosing the Right Health Insurance Policy for Expats in China
Now that you know the basics of China’s healthcare sector as well as medication and possible health hazards to keep in mind, let’s now move on to key tips for selecting the right health insurance policy for expats in China.
From deciding beyond price to being truthful about your medical history, below are factors to keep in mind when choosing the right health insurance policy to ensure you are covered as an expat living in China.
Decide Beyond the Price
When selecting health insurance policies, deciding only based on price is a common mistake people make. For expats, it’s crucial that you decide beyond the price point when selecting the right health insurance as the cheapest plan will prove itself to be ineffective despite its affordability.
Instead, decide based on your specific healthcare needs and what benefits you’d like to add on top of the selected plan. While the plan with all the benefits and coverage area you need will undoubtedly cost more, the amount of coverage and added benefits will make up for it.
Be Truthful About Your Medical History
When applying for a health insurance policy, one of the steps is to fill out a medical questionnaire to show your medical history. If you have any pre-existing conditions, at least certain insurers are willing to accept your application in exchange for a moratorium or higher premiums.
Always remember to be truthful about your medical history and never try to hide any part of your medical history as insurers will need your accurate medical history in order to efficiently cover your unique healthcare needs.
In the event that you try to lie in your health insurance application by deliberately hiding certain parts of your medical history such as smoking and drinking or other pre-existing conditions, and the insurer finds out afterward, they can deny your claims.
Do Your Research: Compare and Contrast with Other Insurers
When searching for an adequate health insurance policy, it’s crucial for expats to do their research on the insurer and the specific plan. Make sure to also read through the terms and conditions, coverage areas, limits, and exclusions before contacting the insurer to secure the policy.
While there are large, reputed insurers out there, there may also be other smaller, lesser-known insurers that offer cost-effective health insurance plans as well.
While you may find a particular health insurance plan from one insurer appealing, it’s also worth taking the extra time to compare with others as well as a little bit of comparison work that will allow you to save money in the long run.
Enlist the Help of an Insurance Broker
Doing plan comparisons on your own can be a daunting task as you could be spending hours researching only to end up going nowhere. However, not everything has to be complicated as you can enlist the help of a seasoned insurance broker to simplify the process.
Insurance brokers, operating on behalf of the buyers’ decision, can offer impartial advice as well as plan recommendations when it comes to comparing multiple plans from various insurers.
What’s more is that insurance brokers can even go the extra mile by offering additional services such as premium negotiations, claims processing support, as well as current plan reviews and renewals at no additional cost.
By deciding beyond the price point, staying truthful about your medical history in your application, comparing from multiple insurers, and enlisting the help of an insurance broker, expats in China can get the best possible health insurance plan to ensure their safety and well-being in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
How good are hospitals in China for expats?
Most of China’s hospitals are world-class thanks to their modern facilities and excellently-trained medical staff. However, some other hospitals may have more limited resources and lower quality care.
Is healthcare free in China for expats?
Healthcare in China is only free for local Chinese citizens and permanent residents but not for expats. Thus, expats will have to secure their own health insurance plan beforehand to ensure their safety and well-being while in China.
What are some challenges expats could face when seeking treatment in China?
Expats seeking treatment in China may get doctors who can’t speak English, potential cultural differences, or find a healthcare provider that is part of their specific insurance provider network. For language barrier, if possible, bring along a friend or family member to help translate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, expats in China should secure health insurance beforehand as they lack access to China’s default government-provided health insurance, unlike local Chinese citizens. It’s also crucial to do your research on medication requirements or restrictions as well as potential health hazards.
By choosing the right health insurance plan and staying mindful of health hazards and the country’s healthcare scheme, expats and their families in China can ensure a safe, healthy life thanks to the abundance of well-known hospitals and their expansive departments and treatment services.
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Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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