Job Discussion Forums

thecafe · Joined: 17 Oct 2010 Posts: 9

So is there any national health care plan?

What kind of insurance do schools commonly provide? What is covered?

What kind of coverage should I be seeking?

I can buy emergency travel medical insurance from Canada, but short of that, should I be seeking more coverage?

Thanks all.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

The Good:

Basic health care is relatively cheaper in China than in the West. You seldom need 'appointments' as such, just walk right into any clinic or hospital. Government employees all have some sort of health care plan. There is also private insurance available, but their are severe limitations on most plans.

The Bad:

You cannot guarantee quality health care. Some doctors are in their 60's and haven't updated their medical expertise in decades. Others are younger and cheated their way through medical school. Also, Chinese medical students learn things that our doctors in the West know to be 'old wives' tales'. In major cities like Beijing or Shanghai, you will certainly get better quality care than in a smaller city.

The Ugly:

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that your doctor will have an ashtray in his office. I have never seen a sink or hand-washing station in any doctor's office I have been into. He handles patients one by one without washing. If the patient before you had some serious communicable disease, be concerned. You can also expect a horde of other patients in the office with you. Some will even be so nosy as to ask 'whats wrong with the foreigner?' as if it is any of their business---right in front of you! Expect little or no privacy. Expect people to 'queue jump' while waiting to see a doctor.

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

xiao51 · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 208

The New York Times did a long, long series of articles about this on their front pages less than one month ago.

In the larger Chinese cities, health care is on a par with the West, and in some cases, in the right hospitals, even superior in certain aspects.

In the second-tier-to-everywhere-else cities, I concur with the posters above. One needs to exercise extreme caution in hospital and doctor visits in these places. Extreme caution.

In all cases, in the smaller cities, ask to be taken or direct yourself to the No 1 Hospital. It has that number for a reason. If you are in a really, really rural area, you need to learn where and how accessible the nearest, most reputable hospital is.

Additionally, in most cases, with the exception of orthodontry, you will be offered a choice of Chinese-style medicine vs. Western medicine.

mike w · Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:10 am Post subject:

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

you'll probably be offered a comprehensive medical plan through a local
insurance company. coverage for accident and the "30 dreadful diseases,"
but no coverage for outpatient visits, and no pharmacy card. No good for
travel, mine is valid only in Yunnan. I opted for the 1250 rmb allowance,
and am purchasing expat insurance; $560 annual with a $2k deductible
per event, and a 2-5 year exclusionary period for pre-existing conditions.

For a Fistful of Dollars: you can have excellent coverage worldwide
(cheaper if you exclude the u$a)

For a Few Dollars More: you can get all the bells and whistles including
political evacuation and a greatly reduced deductible.

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

Does anyone know if a Chinese spouse can be covered on an international plan? Or do those only cover people who are outside their home country?

thecafe · Joined: 17 Oct 2010 Posts: 9

I wonder if most of you feel secure with the health system in China? Or would you head home with a major illness?

mike w · Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject:

I was told by a UK doctor that if I had gone back to the UK I would probably have died waiting for treatment. Need I say any more?

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

thecafe · Joined: 17 Oct 2010 Posts: 9

Well, I am Canadian, so I am thankful for our healthcare system.

I worked in Korea and life didn't feel stable there. If you got sick, there wasn't adequate insurance to purchase to protect you (or it was super expensive) and you likely lost your apartment if you got sick since your employer provides your apartment.

I would just like to try and make my life and work in China as stable as possible.

vikeologist · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 600

OP - If you use travel insurance, take into account that (in most if not all policies) you wouldn't be covered for any accidents that happened at the workplace. Of course, teaching doesn't have a high number of workplace injuries.

It's hard to generalise about health insurance in China, and it's kind of hard to say much at all since usually the actual policies are in Chinese.
However, though I couldn't say that healthcare is as good here as the West, it was kind of nice to be able to get into a hospital last week for a minor op straight away that I'd have waited months or years for back home. It was a private, rather than a government hospital, and everything was fine, though very noisy given that patients always have a small army of family members there to help them.

cormac · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 768 Location: Xi'an (XTU)

If you're working for a private school, even though your contract will have some stipulation regarding health care, don't be suprised if your school/manager sends the local acupuncture/alternative medicine practitioner to you. Many schools will seek to limit the costs of any medical costs. So if you're relying on the school, be careful of the type of practitioner you receive even in the hospitals. They'll likely have some sort of game going on to reduce costs to themselves.

If you're going it alone, then there are usually a few clinics in each city that are geared towards treating westerners. They're clean, efficient, and quite excellent in their service. Just tends to cost quite a bit more than the normal set up. But lets face it, if its an issue or something important its worth spending the extra on reliable service.

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

In People's Hospital #6 in Shanghai, not only were the halls overflowing with the dead and dying, some patients oozing blood onto the floor, but the "doctors" wore filthy coveralls that looked like they hadn't been washed since Mao was around. If a patient went to a room to see a sawbones, all his living relatives went in there with him and all screamed at once. It wasn't a rarity that a bunch of hangers-on also came along for the ride.

The real kicker, though -- and get this -- a guy drove his motorcycle thru the wards, and he didn't look like he was on the staff. I'm not kidding on this.

Check out your hositals and clinics IN ADVANCE!! Does the place look like a health care facility, or some place you might take your car to get fixed? Do the staff seem professional? Is the place over-crowded? Any motorcycles in evidence?