In January 2026, the Economic Observer — one of China's leading business newspapers — reported on the first wave of international patients arriving under the relaxed visa policy. These are the stories and figures they published. They show how speed, expertise and cost come together in China.
All stories and figures below come from the Economic Observer's report (January 2026, republished by Huxiu). We paraphrase and cite them so you can judge the trend yourself.
Sabrina, from the UK, came to Shanghai for a second opinion on laser eye surgery. She arrived at the hospital at 11:00 without an appointment — by 17:00 the same day, her examination was complete. The doctor advised against surgery and gave her all the records to take back to her UK doctor. In the UK, she said, a similar visit could mean months of waiting and repeating the same tests at every appointment.
Amie from the UK had stomach pain for one to two years. In November 2025 she flew to China and within two weeks completed a gastroscopy and treatment for about ¥2,800 (~£300). Including a two-year visa, flights and accommodation, her whole trip cost roughly £1,500 — against £3,700+ at a UK private clinic, or a months-long wait on the NHS.
Agnese from Italy lives with nutcracker syndrome, a rare compression of the left renal vein. In January 2026 she had surgery at the international department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, where doctors designed a custom 3D-printed extravascular stent for her anatomy. In her words: "The only reason I came to China was to find an experienced surgeon with a high volume of procedures and a proven success rate. This treatment is not available outside China."
A patient from South Africa with femoral head necrosis came to Shijiazhuang for two months of traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation. Hospital stays, therapy, meals and an interpreter together cost about ¥1,000 a day — roughly ¥30,000 per month. In South Africa, the same budget covered only fifteen days of TCM care.
A mother and daughter from Serbia arrived with a complex combination of heart surgery, foot correction, epilepsy and gastrointestinal conditions. The heart surgery alone would have cost about US$260,000 in the United States; in China the family's care came to roughly ¥100,000–200,000.
Cancer patients from the United States, Australia and New Zealand have been coming to China for CAR-T cell therapy: about ¥1.2 million per injection in China, versus roughly US$500,000 (about ¥3.5 million) overseas. For some tumor treatment plans, one Beijing hospital reports pathology and immunohistochemistry results within 24 hours — the same reports commonly take more than two weeks in the US.
Figures as reported by the Economic Observer (January 2026). Costs vary with condition, hospital and treatment plan — we always confirm with a written quote before you travel.
The same report answers the questions patients and families ask us most. We keep them here so you can decide with your eyes open.
By regulation, international departments are capped at about 10% of a hospital's total services. In January 2026, reporters visiting the international departments of PUMCH, China-Japan Friendship Hospital and others found only a handful of foreign patients per day.
Most international patients pay directly, because many overseas insurers require JCI certification, which has withdrawn from China. However, insurers such as Cigna and MSH have direct-billing agreements with major hospitals like PUMCH. We confirm your coverage before you travel and arrange direct billing where possible.
International departments accept foreign credit cards, so you do not need WeChat or Alipay. We handle registration, deposits and settlement, and you keep the hospital's official receipts.
Hospital English support is still uneven across China — that is one reason accompaniment exists. Our medical interpreter or bilingual companion attends every consultation, and your records and reports are professionally translated.
All cases and figures above are drawn from the Economic Observer's report "Why foreigners choose China for medical care" (January 2026), republished by Huxiu. We summarise and paraphrase the report and link the original below. Individual outcomes vary, and figures are as reported at the time — your own written quote is confirmed before any booking.