Shizhan
Matrose
Joined: 06 August 2021
Location: China
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3
|
| Posted: 11 July 2025 at 07:01 | IP Logged
|
|
|
China permits legal medical tourism , but it must be
carried out within the framework of policies and norms,
the core of which is to protect medical safety, service
quality and patients' rights and interests. The following
is a detailed explanation of the policy basis,
permissible scope, implementation path and restrictions:
the policy basis: the state clearly support the
development of medical tourism
China has incorporated medical tourism into the “Healthy
China” strategy and the “Regional Tourism” strategy,
and promoted its standardized development through top-
level design. Core policy documents include:
. The Outline of the “Healthy China 2030” Plan (2016),
which proposes to “develop new forms of health services
and promote the integration of healthcare with tourism,
pension and other industries”. tourism, pension and
other industries to integrate."
. Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of Health
Tourism (2017): explicitly supports the “medical +
tourism” model and encourages the construction of
international medical tourism destinations.
. Overall Program for the Construction of Hainan Free
Trade Port (2020): Hainan has been given special policies
for “medical tourism pilot zones” (e.g., LeCheng
International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone), allowing the
use of imported medicines and equipment that are not
domestically marketed (“licensed medicine”). “Licensed
medical care”).
These policies provide a legal basis and development
space for medical tourism.
Scope of Permitted Medical Tourism
China's permitted medical tourism is divided into two
main categories, corresponding to different policies and
regulatory requirements:
1. Inbound medical tourism (international patients coming
to China for medical treatment)
International patients coming to China to receive medical
services (e.g., disease treatment, high-end medical
checkups, rehabilitation and convalescence) in
combination with tourism are required to meet the
following conditions:
. Qualification of medical institution: The Chinese
institution providing services must be a legal medical
institution (e.g. Public tertiary hospitals, JCI-
accredited hospitals, and medical institutions in the
LeCheng Advanced Zone), and some of them must have an
international medical department (e.g. Peking Union
Medical College Hospital IMC, Shanghai Jiuyuan
International Medical Center).
. Visa support: International patients can apply for an M
visa (Visitor/Business Visa Not applicable) or S1/S2 visa
(accompanying family members), some hospitals can assist
in issuing “Invitation Letter for Foreigners' Medical
Treatment in China”, and cooperate with embassies and
consulates for fast approval (e.g., LeCheng Advanced Zone
Hospital cooperates with Hainan Border Inspection).
“Medical Green Channel”).
. Scope of services: limited to legitimate medical
projects (e.g. tumor treatment, traditional Chinese
medicine physical therapy, High-end physical
examination), prohibited to involve illegal practice of
medicine or unapproved medical technology (e.g.
unrecorded stem cell treatment).
2. Domestic inter-regional medical tourism (domestic
patients seeking medical treatment in other places)
Domestic patients traveling from one place to another for
medical treatment (e.g. from third or fourth-tier cities
to the north, Guangzhou , Shenzhen ) and traveling along
with it is a normal medical practice , with no special
restrictions, but subject to the following rules:
. Filing for medical treatment in a different place: it
is necessary to file for medical treatment in a different
place through the APP of the national medical insurance
service platform or the medical insurance bureau of the
insured place (except for emergency treatment), otherwise
it may not be able to directly settle the medical
insurance expenses; .
. Medical service standardization: the receiving hospital
must comply with the Regulations on the Administration of
Medical Institutions and provide diagnosis and treatment
services in accordance with national standards; .
. Tourism support: no special policies are involved, but
some scenic spots or hotels will introduce “medical +
recreation” packages (such as hot springs, Chinese
medicine experience) for medical tourists.
the focus of the pilot: Boao Lecheng International
Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan
Hainan Lecheng is China's only “medical + tourism”
national pilot area, the most open policy, is the core
carrier of medical tourism, its special characteristics
are reflected in:
. Licensed medical care: the use of imported medicines
and devices not listed in the country (such as new anti-
cancer drugs and cochlear implants) is allowed, and more
than 300 kinds of international innovative medicines and
devices have been introduced (accounting for more than
90% of the licensed medicines and devices in the
country).
. Facilitating international exchanges: overseas
physicians can practice in LeCheng for a short period of
time (up to 3 months), and simplifying the procedures for
international patients to enter the country (e.g.,
“treatment first and then filing”).
. Pilot medical insurance: some licensed medicines and
devices are included in Hainan's medical insurance, and
international patients can be billed through commercial
insurance (e.g., MSH, Allianz).
. Tourism integration: combining the coastal resources of
Sanya and Wanning, launching “medical + vacation”
packages (e.g., oncology treatment + coastal
convalescence).
In 2023, LeCheng will receive more than 8,000
international patients, a year-on-year growth of 30%, and
become a “Chinese sample” of global medical tourism.
Restrictions and standardization: guaranteeing safety and
order
In order to avoid chaos in medical tourism (e.g., illegal
intermediaries, false propaganda), China imposes strict
regulations on medical tourism:
. Prohibition of illegal practice of medicine: no
institution or individual shall carry out medical
activities without obtaining a Medical Institution
Practice License; .
. Recorded use of medicines and equipment: licensed
medicines and equipment used in the LeCheng Pioneer Zone
must be recorded with the State Drug Administration in
advance to ensure safety and effectiveness; .
. Quality of Service: Medical institutions are required
to disclose their fees and charges (price fraud is
prohibited), and international medical departments are
required to have bilingual medical staff or interpreters;
.
. Restrictions on cross-border medical insurance: Except
for pilot projects such as LeCheng, international
patients are required to bear their own out-of-pocket
medical expenses (some commercial insurance may cover
them).
Summary: China's attitude towards medical tourism
China encourages legal and standardized medical tourism
and promotes its development through policy support
(e.g., the pilot project in LeCheng) and top-level design
(e.g., the “Healthy China” strategy), while emphasizing
on At the same time, it emphasizes risk prevention and
control and service quality. For international patients,
as long as they meet the requirements of visa,
qualification of medical institutions and medical service
standards, they can come to China to receive medical
tourism services; for domestic patients, cross-regional
medical treatment combined with tourism is a normal
behavior, subject to the medical insurance policy and the
rules of the tourism market.
In the future, as more regions (e.g. Guangdong, Hong Kong
and Macao Greater Bay Area, Yangtze River Delta) explore
medical tourism pilots, the openness and convenience of
China's medical tourism will be further enhanced, and it
will become an important destination for global medical
tourism.
medical
tourism
Edited by Shizhan on 11 July 2025 at 07:05
|
Active Topics 
Memberlist 
Search 
Help
Register 
Login
U47.org Forum :: Games & Sims
Topic: Is medical tourism allowed in China?
