FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The questions patients send us most, grouped into five areas. Where another page already answers a question in full, we link to it rather than repeat it — nothing here is medical advice, and no answer can tell you which treatment is right for you.
Independent patient coordination. Zero markup on your hospital bill. Not medical advice.
Still unanswered? Write to hello@chinamedicalguides.com and we will answer it, or add it to this page.
Group 1 of 5
Getting started
What we do, what it costs to ask, and how quickly the first answer arrives.
How we work
What does China Medical Guides actually do?
We coordinate the non-clinical side of treatment in China: matching your case to hospitals and departments, booking appointments, arranging transfers and accommodation, providing a bilingual coordinator and interpretation, supporting the visa letter, handling your records, and staying in touch after you fly home.
We are not a hospital and we do not practise medicine. Every diagnosis and treatment decision is made by a licensed physician at the treating hospital — see the medical disclaimer.
Do you only help with surgery?
No. We coordinate diagnostics and health check-ups, oncology assessment and treatment, fertility and IVF cycles, orthopaedic and cardiac surgery, rehabilitation and traditional Chinese medicine programmes, dental and eye treatment, and remote second opinions.
We cannot help with emergency care. If you need urgent treatment, contact local emergency services — 120 in mainland China — or go to the nearest emergency department, and speak to us afterwards.
Timing and what to send
How do I start, and what does it cost to ask?
Send the consultation form or email your records to hello@chinamedicalguides.com — records review and your first hospital proposal are free, with no obligation, and a coordinator replies within one business day. A clinical answer usually follows in two to four business days. Full process: how we work.
Group 2 of 5
Hospitals and doctors
How the shortlist is built, and what accreditation does and does not tell you.
How do you choose which hospital to propose?
Four things: how much of your specific condition the department actually treats each year, whether a suitable specialist is available in your window, whether the international department can support you in your language, and whether the price band works for you. Accreditation is a filter, not the ranking.
The first proposal names every hospital we approached and every one we ruled out.
Are the hospitals accredited?
The directory is made up of Tier-3 public hospitals, China's highest assessed tier, and a significant share also hold JCI accreditation or an equivalent international standard. We show the accreditation status on every hospital page.
Accreditation is a floor, not a guarantee of surgical skill: it covers safety processes, documentation and infection control. Verify the individual physician's credentials and their case volume for your procedure. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, ranked first in the Fudan China Hospital Rankings for thirteen consecutive years, is a starting point rather than a decision.
Will I see the same doctor each time?
For the decisions that matter — the assessment, the operation or main treatment, and discharge — you will normally be seen by the same treating physician, with the department's team handling daily ward rounds. Where the hospital must substitute a physician, usually for clinical reasons or leave, we tell you as soon as we are told.
Group 3 of 5
Costs and payment
What things cost, who is paid what, and why an estimate is a range rather than a cap.
How much does treatment in China cost?
It depends on the procedure, the hospital, the implant or drug used, and how many nights you stay. Planning ranges at international-department rates from our cost guide: hip replacement $9,000–$14,000, one IVF cycle $5,500–$9,000, chemotherapy from around $800 a session — commonly 40–80% below US list prices. Your own figure comes in writing before you commit.
Do you add a markup to the hospital bill?
No. You pay the hospital's own official international-department rate, directly to the hospital — the same number a self-paying local patient sees. We take no percentage, and money for medical care never passes through us; our income is the flat service fee alone. Details on the service fees page.
When and how do I pay the hospital?
Directly to the hospital, in stages, as its international department requires: usually registration and assessment first, then treatment, then the ward stay. Most departments accept bank transfer and major cards, and some can bill an insurer directly.
We confirm the exact route and currency before you travel, and help you collect the itemised receipts your insurer needs.
Can the final bill be higher than the estimate?
Yes, and we say so plainly: the estimate is a written range, not a cap. Costs move when a stay runs longer, when a complication occurs, or when you and your physician choose an imported implant or a targeted drug outside the base package.
The hospital issues a revised estimate before going beyond the agreed plan, and you can decline the change.
What if I cannot afford it, or want to compare with home?
The comparison costs you nothing, and there is no pressure at any point. We can also look at lower-cost routes: a domestic rather than imported implant, a less expensive ward class, or a different city where the same procedure is priced lower.
Group 4 of 5
Visas and travel
Entry routes, invitation letters, companions and what to arrange before you fly.
Do I need a visa for medical treatment in China?
It depends on your nationality and how long you stay: visa-free entry for up to 30 days, the 240-hour transit exemption, or an S2 medical visa — an S1 beyond 180 days. The invitation letter is normally issued in two to three business days, and spouses, parents, children or carers can apply as accompanying persons. Before you fly: a passport valid six months beyond your return, travel insurance, medication in its original packaging, and any airline assistance arranged in advance. Routes and documents: visa · before you travel.
Group 5 of 5
Insurance
What a policy will and will not tell you, and how to get an answer in writing.
Will my health insurance cover treatment in China?
Sometimes — it depends on your covered area, whether the treatment is covered, and whether the hospital is in network. Of the 874 international products we researched, only 17 publish a complete public hospital list for China, and 1 in 10 exclude mainland China outright. That is research, not insurance advice: ask your insurer in writing, and check the public evidence for your plan first — insurance check.
Ask us your own question
Send your records and the question you want answered: a coordinator replies within one business day with a proposed hospital and a written cost range — free, with no obligation.