Is medical tourism allowed in China?

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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.

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Is medical tourism allowed in China?