Question 1

How do I find a hospital that accepts my insurance?

Accepted Answer

Open the Hospital Directory, select your city, then use the Insurance filter to pick your insurer brand. The results show hospitals with confirmed direct billing for that brand. You can also open an insurance brand page to see all participating hospitals across cities.

Question 2

What is direct billing and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Direct billing means the insurance company pays the hospital directly, so you do not pay the full bill upfront and claim reimbursement later. For planned treatment, your insurer issues a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) to the hospital; for emergencies, the hospital contacts the insurer. You may still owe a co-pay or deductible depending on your plan.

Question 3

Do I need to bring my passport to the hospital?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your passport is required for registration at every Chinese hospital and is also needed for insurance direct billing. Bring your insurance card and any pre-authorization reference as well.

Question 4

Can I use public health insurance at international hospitals?

Accepted Answer

Generally no. China's public medical insurance (社保) mostly applies to public hospitals serving local residents. International hospitals and most public hospital international departments bill privately, which is why international private insurance and direct billing matter for expats.

Question 5

How accurate is the hospital data?

Accepted Answer

Every hospital record is linked to its original source (official hospital websites, JCI accreditation lists, insurer direct billing networks, government portals) with a last-verified date. Records older than 180 days are flagged as outdated so you know to double-check. We never fabricate data — when something cannot be verified, we mark it unknown.

Question 6

Are the tools free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Bilingual Email Generator, Chinese Symptom Card, Insurance Checklist, and Hospital Comparison Report are all free and require no signup. Inputs are processed in your browser session and are not stored on our servers.

Question 7

Do you provide medical advice?

Accepted Answer

No. MedBridge China is a navigation and communication platform. We do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations, and we do not rank hospitals by quality. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical concerns.

Question 8

What should I do in a medical emergency in China?

Accepted Answer

Call 120 for an ambulance (the national emergency number). For life-threatening situations, go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Keep your passport and insurance details accessible, and contact your insurer as soon as possible so they can arrange direct billing or a Guarantee of Payment.

Question 9

How often is the data updated?

Accepted Answer

We periodically re-verify records against their sources, and each record shows its last-verified date. Insurance networks change frequently, so we flag records older than 180 days for re-verification and encourage you to confirm directly with the hospital and your insurer before any visit.

Question 10

Can I compare hospitals side by side?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Use the Hospital Comparison tool to select 2–5 hospitals and compare their international department, accepted insurance, specialties, location, and contact information in a single report you can print or save.

Question 11

How do I contact a hospital if I do not speak Chinese?

Accepted Answer

Use the Bilingual Email Generator to create a professional inquiry email in both English and Chinese for the hospital's international department. You can also generate a Chinese Symptom Card to show your symptoms, allergies, and medications at the desk.

Question 12

Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in?

Accepted Answer

It varies. International hospitals and international departments usually prefer appointments and may charge a walk-in fee. We recommend calling or emailing ahead — our Bilingual Email Generator can draft that message in seconds.

Question 13

Will the hospital staff speak English?

Accepted Answer

International hospitals and public hospital international departments have English-speaking staff and are the focus of our directory. Standard public hospital departments may not, which is why our symptom card and email tools exist.

Question 14

How do you make money, and does it affect the data?

Accepted Answer

We offer clearly-labeled sponsored listings and select affiliate partnerships. Sponsored listings appear at the top of results but cannot alter hospital data, insurance relationships, comparison tools, or rankings. Transparency and trust come first.

Question 15

Can a hospital claim or update its listing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Hospitals already in the directory can claim their listing to update contact details, services, and cost examples. Claims cannot alter verified data such as ratings, specialties, or insurance relationships — those follow our standard verification process. See the Advertise page for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Using the Directory

Insurance & Direct Billing

Visiting a Hospital

Tools

Data & Trust