Some health insurers pay Chinese hospitals directly, so you do not pay first and claim back. This is called direct billing. It depends on your plan, and you need approval before you travel. This table shows 15 international health plans, 8 plans from home countries and 5 Chinese plans, and how to check your hospital. Travel insurance does not pay for planned treatment.
Travel insurance does not pay for planned treatment
Travel insurance is for emergencies on your trip. If you travel to China for treatment you planned, it will not pay. Insurers say this in their own policies.
In a real emergency on your trip, your travel insurer's assistance service may pay the hospital directly. Call them before you go to hospital, if you can.
- Direct billing means your insurer pays the hospital. You do not pay first and claim back.
- It depends on your plan, not only your insurer. Check your own plan.
- Ask your insurer for approval before you travel. For a hospital stay, this can take 2 to 10 working days.
- It is most common at international hospitals and at the international or VIP departments of big public hospitals.
International health plans
If you have a worldwide health plan, start here.
How to check your hospital: Public list means anyone can open the insurer's list of hospitals. Public search means the insurer has a search tool on its website. Member app only means you log in to the insurer's app or website to see it. Ask insurer means no list is published, so ask your insurer before you travel. The same words are used in the table for Chinese plans.
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Insurer | Company that handles it in China | How to check your hospital | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIA (Hong Kong plans) | Not published | Public list · List dated 2026-10-12 | 2026-10-29 |
| Allianz Care | JD Allianz (京东安联) | Member app only | 2026-10-29 |
| APRIL International | Not published | Member app only | 2026-10-29 |
| AXA Global Healthcare | MSH China (万欣和) | Public search · List updated 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-29 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Global (GeoBlue) | Not published | Member app only | 2026-10-29 |
| Bupa (Care Bridge plan, Hong Kong) | Windstone (风石) | Public list · About 536 hospitals, list dated 2026-06-08 | 2026-10-29 |
| Bupa Global | Not published | Public list | 2026-10-29 |
| Cigna Global | Not published | Member app only | 2026-10-29 |
| FWD (Hong Kong plans) | HMG | Ask insurer | 2026-10-29 |
| Henner · Integra Global | Not published | Member app only (Henner, Integra Global) | 2026-10-29 |
| IMG | Not published | Public search | 2026-10-29 |
| MSH International | MSH China (万欣和) | Public list · List from 2022 | 2026-10-29 |
| Now Health International | Asia-Pacific P&C (亚太财险) | Public list · List dated 2025-12-31 | 2026-10-29 |
| UnitedHealthcare Global | Not published | Member app only | 2026-10-29 |
| William Russell | Not published | Ask insurer | 2026-10-29 |
Network in our 8 cities
How to read this table: each number is how many places in that city the insurer pays directly. The number in brackets is how many of those places are hospitals. For example, 277 (67) means 277 places, and 67 of them are hospitals. A number without brackets means the insurer's list does not say which places are hospitals.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Insurer | Beijing | Shanghai | Guangzhou | Nanjing | Suzhou | Hangzhou | Ningbo | Kunming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIA (Hong Kong) | 40 | 40 | 33 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 9 |
| AXA Global Healthcare | 277 (67) | 308 (91) | 64 (15) | 31 (7) | 52 (18) | 54 (22) | 33 (20) | 3 (2) |
| Bupa Global | 64 (21) | 79 (24) | 13 (3) | 4 (2) | 6 (2) | 11 (4) | 1 (0) | 1 (1) |
| IMG | 76 | 84 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| MSH International | 32 | 61 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 2 |
| Now Health | 88 | 128 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 24 | 16 | 0 |
Plans from your country
Most health plans from home pay you back after you pay the hospital. These plans can pay the hospital directly.
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Country | Plan | Direct billing in China | Handled by |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | MGEN International Santé Prévoyance | Yes · Ask 10 days before | Not published |
| Indonesia | Allianz Preferred Medical, Allianz Flexi Medical | Yes · Hospital stays only | MEDILINK - APM (Preferred Medical), HEALTH METRICS (Flexi Medical) |
| Indonesia | Prudential PRUWell Medical, PRUWell Health, PRUPrime Healthcare | Yes · Ask 7 working days before | Global Excel Indonesia |
| Mongolia | Ard Medicare | Yes | MSH China |
| Mongolia | Bodi Global Health | China covered, ask insurer | AXA Global Healthcare |
| Russia | Renaissance international health plan | Yes | General Health International |
| Saudi Arabia | Bupa Arabia International Health Plan | Yes · Member app only | Not published |
| UAE | ADNIC medical plans with the MSH International network | Yes | MSH International |
Other insurers in Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Bangladesh, France, Indonesia and Cambodia: most pay you back after you pay the hospital. Get approval from your insurer before you travel.
If you live in China
These Chinese plans are for people who live and work in China. Some set a minimum stay. Cigna & CMB needs you to live or work in mainland China for at least 6 months a year (about 180 days). Fosun United Health needs you in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan for at least two-thirds of the year (about 243 days). Check your plan's rule before you buy.
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Insurer and plan | Foreigners can buy | How to check your hospital |
|---|---|---|
| Cigna & CMB (招商信诺) · 醇享人生 Pro | Not stated | Public list · File dated 2026-10-13 |
| CPIC Health (太平洋健康) · 蓝医保 中高端 | Not stated | Public search · Hospital stays |
| Fosun United Health (复星联合) · 全球通 | Yes, stated | Public search |
| Ping An Health (平安健康) · 尊欣人生 2024 | Not stated | Public search |
| Taikang Pension (泰康养老) · 环球尊享 group plan | Yes, stated | Public list · List from 2022 |
Network in our 8 cities
How to read this table: each number is how many places in that city the insurer pays directly. The number in brackets is how many of those places are hospitals. For example, 227 (142) means 227 places, and 142 of them are hospitals. A number without brackets means the insurer's list does not say which places are hospitals.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Insurer | Beijing | Shanghai | Guangzhou | Nanjing | Suzhou | Hangzhou | Ningbo | Kunming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cigna & CMB | 235 | 280 | 79 | 26 | 32 | 41 | 32 | 22 |
| CPIC Health | 26 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 1 |
| Ping An Health | 227 (142) | 263 (158) | 64 (39) | 20 (14) | 43 (21) | 45 (40) | 14 (13) | 3 (3) |
| Taikang Pension | 229 (67) | 266 (68) | 60 (9) | 26 (5) | 30 (6) | 34 (16) | 30 (17) | 1 (1) |
Not available
| Insurer | Status |
|---|---|
| Aetna International | Left the market. Plans moved to Allianz in 2023. |
| GBG | Closed. In liquidation since 2024. |
| Generali Global Health | Not published. No China direct billing information. Ask your insurer. |
| Pacific Cross | No direct billing. Mainland China is not in its network. |
Who handles the bill: TPAs
A TPA (third-party administrator) is a company that works for your insurer. In China, it is usually the TPA, not your insurer, that talks to the hospital. It checks your plan, sends the hospital a guarantee letter (担保函) that promises payment, and settles the bill after you leave.
So the name the hospital asks for may not be the name on your insurance card. That is normal.
How it works
- You or the hospital send a pre-approval request to the TPA, with your treatment plan and cost estimate.
- The TPA checks your plan and sends a guarantee letter to the hospital. This usually takes 2 to 3 working days, and 3 to 5 for complex cases.
- The hospital treats you without asking you to pay the covered amount. You pay only what your plan does not cover.
- In an emergency, the hospital can treat you first. Tell your insurer or TPA within 48 hours.
TPAs you may meet in China
| Company that handles it (TPA) | Works for (insurer examples) |
|---|---|
| Allianz Partners (安联世合) | JD Allianz (京东安联), Allianz China Life (安联人寿) |
| AXA Partners (安盛援助) | AXA Tianping (安盛天平), ICBC-AXA Life (工银安盛人寿), New China Life (新华保险) |
| Europ Assistance (优普) | Generali China Life (中意人寿), QBE Hong Kong |
| International SOS (国际SOS) | Aviva-COFCO Life (中英人寿) |
| MediLink (中间带) | AXA Tianping (安盛天平), Aegon THTF (同方全球人寿) |
| MSH China (万欣和) | AXA Global Healthcare, MSH International, Ard Medicare, 亚太财险, 中国大地, 中汇人寿 |
| Windstone (风石) | Bupa (Care Bridge plan, Hong Kong) |
Only links stated by the insurer or the TPA itself are listed. Your plan may use a different TPA. Your insurance card or member app tells you which one to call.
