Treatment in China is billed through 7 separate cost items across three payment streams: the hospital collects treatment, diagnostics and take-home medication; the coordinating platform charges one disclosed service fee (USD 300); you pay travel and living costs directly to your own providers. Nothing overlaps, and the hospital never charges a platform commission.
1. Why the bill looks fragmented
A cross-border treatment journey is not one purchase — it is three: medical care, medical-record preparation, and travel. Each one is billed by a different party, in a different currency, at a different moment.
The hospital bills after admission, in RMB, when treatment actually happens. The coordinating platform bills once, in USD, when your case is submitted for pre-review. Travel and living costs are billed by airlines, hotels and local services, before and during your trip.
The confusion patients report is rarely about the total amount. It comes from the structure: three payees, three currencies, three moments. That structure is not a trick — and it can be verified item by item. This article shows you how.
2. The 7 cost items, one by one
Below is every cost item you may encounter. The table gives the short version; the notes after it explain each line.
| # | Item | Who collects | What it covers | When it is paid | Typical shape | Optional? | How to verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital treatment charges | The hospital | Treatment, surgery, medication, ward bed | After admission, per hospital process | Per published hospital price list | No | Daily itemized bill + official invoice |
| 2 | Diagnostics & MDT review | The hospital | Imaging review, pathology re-read, multidisciplinary consultation | During assessment | Per item, at hospital rates | Depends on your case | Test reports + itemized charges |
| 3 | Medical translation & record standardization | The platform | Record organization, bilingual translation, DICOM preparation | At pre-review | Included in the service fee | No | Written list of deliverables |
| 4 | Coordination service fee | The platform | Specialty matching, appointments, admission coordination, one-to-one case follow-up | When the case is submitted | Fixed USD 300 | No | Written fee statement |
| 5 | Visa, invitation & legal documents | Consulate (platform assists) | Medical visa, hospital invitation letter, residence registration | Before travel | Consular fee + assistance | No | Consular receipt |
| 6 | Travel, stay & local support | You (platform can book) | Flights, accommodation, transfers, interpreter, meals | Before and during travel | Varies most of all | Yes | Receipts from each provider |
| 7 | Take-home medication & follow-up | Hospital / platform | Discharge medication, review plan, remote follow-up | At and after discharge | Per prescription & follow-up plan | Partly | Prescription + follow-up records |
- 1
Hospital treatment charges
The core of the bill: surgery, ward bed, nursing, medication and consumables used during your stay. Public Class-A tertiary hospitals charge according to item-coded, publicly listed prices. Final billing follows the hospital's formal quotation and actual settlement — not a package estimate.
- 2
Diagnostics & MDT review
Imaging re-reads, pathology re-review and multidisciplinary (MDT) consultations needed before or during treatment. Billed per item at hospital rates, during the assessment stage. Whether you need them depends on your condition — ask your coordinator why each test is requested.
- 3
Medical translation & record standardization
Your records are organized into a bilingual case file: discharge summaries, test results, and imaging (DICOM) prepared so Chinese specialists can read them without delay. This work is included in the platform service fee, and you receive a written list of deliverables.
- 4
Coordination service fee
One fixed fee of USD 300 per case covers specialty matching, appointment booking, admission coordination and one-to-one follow-up by a case coordinator. It is paid when you submit your records, and the scope is stated in writing before payment.
- 5
Visa, invitation & legal documents
Medical visa applications require a hospital invitation letter and supporting documents. The hospital or platform prepares the paperwork; the consulate charges its own statutory fee, for which you receive a consular receipt.
- 6
Travel, stay & local support
Flights, accommodation, airport transfers, hospital interpreters and meals. This is the most variable item and the most optional: you may arrange everything yourself, or ask the platform to book at cost with receipts.
- 7
Take-home medication & follow-up
Discharge medication, a written review plan, and remote follow-up after you return home. Prescribed medication is billed at the hospital pharmacy; follow-up arrangements and whether they carry a separate charge are stated in advance.
3. Three payment streams — who gets what
Your money never travels through one pipe. It moves in three streams, each with its own payee, currency, timing and receipt. Knowing which stream you are paying into is the single best protection against hidden markups.
account_treePayment flow: who receives what — and the document you get back
You (patient)
You pay the platform, the hospital, and your own travel providers
arrow_forward USD 300 service fee
Coordination platform
Document: written fee statement
arrow_forward Hospital charges (RMB)
The hospital
Document: daily itemized bill + official invoice
You → the hospital
Treatment charges, diagnostics and prescribed discharge medication. Paid in RMB directly to the hospital — by bank transfer to its corporate account, or at the in-hospital cashier. Receipts: daily itemized bill, discharge summary, and the national medical e-invoice.
You → the coordination platform
One disclosed service fee of USD 300 per case: record preparation, specialty matching, appointment and admission coordination, and one-to-one follow-up. Paid when you submit your case. Receipt: a written fee statement.
You → your own travel providers
Flights, accommodation, transfers, meals and interpreters. Paid in your own currency, at providers you choose, with their own receipts. The platform can book on your behalf at cost if you prefer.
How you can pay
| Payment method | Where it applies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| International credit card (Visa / Mastercard) | Platform service fee; some hospitals | Your bank may require 3-D Secure verification |
| WeChat Pay / Alipay linked to a foreign card | Hospital cashier, pharmacy, daily spending | Foreign cards can be linked in-app |
| In-hospital cashier (RMB) | Hospital treatment charges | Ask for the daily itemized bill at the same time |
| Bank transfer to the hospital's corporate account | Large inpatient bills | Confirm the account name matches the hospital exactly |
MedTravel China does not handle hospital payments: we never collect, hold or pass on hospital fees, never mark up medication or consumables, and the hospital pays us no commission.
Want to confirm the cost boundaries before you decide?
4. How to verify a hospital bill in China
Chinese public hospitals operate on item-coded, publicly listed prices, which makes every charge checkable. Ask for three documents:
- 1
Daily itemized bill
Issued during your stay, listing each charge with the consumable's barcode and batch number where applicable.
- 2
Discharge summary and surgical record
States what was actually done — the clinical counterpart of the bill. The two should match.
- 3
National medical e-invoice
The standardized electronic invoice issued by the hospital's finance system; it can be verified, not hand-written.
Where to check: the hospital's public price display, the in-hospital cashier, and the international medical department. A provider able to produce these three documents is billing through the standard in-hospital channel — which is exactly what you should insist on.
5. 7 questions to ask any medical-travel company before you pay
- 1
Is the service fee a fixed amount, and what is included or excluded?
check_circleA good answer: A written breakdown listing inclusions and exclusions.
cancelA warning sign: Verbal-only, vague, or "it depends" without a range.
- 2
Do I pay hospital charges to the hospital itself, or through a third party?
check_circleA good answer: Payment to the hospital's corporate account or in-hospital cashier.
cancelA warning sign: Payment to a personal account or an unexplained intermediary.
- 3
Are medication and consumables marked up, and can I get the hospital's official invoice?
check_circleA good answer: Invoices provided, with reference to the hospital's published prices.
cancelA warning sign: No invoice, or "the invoice is internal".
- 4
Who translates my medical records, and what exactly will I receive?
check_circleA good answer: A named team with medical background and a written deliverables list.
cancelA warning sign: No description of deliverables or of the translators' background.
- 5
What happens if the pre-review says treatment is not advisable?
check_circleA good answer: Written refund terms for that scenario.
cancelA warning sign: No policy, or promises that it "never happens".
- 6
Who handles the visa and invitation letter, at what cost, and how long does it take?
check_circleA good answer: The hospital issues the documents; the consulate charges statutory fees.
cancelA warning sign: "We guarantee the visa" — nobody can.
- 7
How is follow-up after discharge arranged, and is it charged separately?
check_circleA good answer: A written follow-up plan stating whether it is included in the fee.
cancelA warning sign: Undefined follow-up, or new charges appearing later.
6. Red flags
Ordered by how easily you can verify each one yourself:
- 1
Payment requested to a personal account — not the hospital's corporate account or cashier.
- 2
Refusal to provide the hospital's official invoice, or invoices that cannot be verified.
- 3
A quote above the hospital's published price, with no explanation for the difference.
- 4
Promises of a guaranteed cure, a guaranteed outcome, or a guaranteed visa.
- 5
A service fee that is vague, verbal-only, or described as "commission from the hospital".
7. Frequently asked questions
What does the USD 300 service fee cover? expand_more
Bilingual record organization, specialty matching, appointment and admission coordination, and one-to-one case follow-up for one full case. It does not cover hospital charges, consular fees or travel costs.
Do I pay the hospital directly? expand_more
Yes. Hospital treatment charges are paid to the hospital itself — by bank transfer to its corporate account or at the in-hospital cashier. We do not collect, hold or pass on hospital payments.
Can I get a cost estimate before travelling? expand_more
After pre-review you receive a written estimate for the planned treatment, based on the hospital's published prices. Final billing follows the hospital's formal quotation and actual settlement.
What if my medical records are incomplete? expand_more
Submit what you have — discharge summaries, test reports or scanned films. Your coordinator will tell you what is missing and how to obtain it; pre-review can usually start in parallel.
How do I compare the cost of treatment in China with India or Thailand? expand_more
We do not publish absolute cross-country comparisons. Compare like for like: the same condition and treatment stage, whether drugs and consumables are included, inpatient days, translation and interpretation, and whether invoices can be verified.
Can I pay with an international card? expand_more
Yes for the platform service fee. Many hospitals also accept foreign cards; large inpatient bills are usually settled by bank transfer or at the in-hospital cashier.
What if the pre-review finds that treatment is not advisable? expand_more
If the specialist review concludes that treatment at the partner hospital is not suitable for the case, the service fee is refunded according to the written terms.
Start with a Class-A tertiary pre-review
Upload your medical records and imaging. Our medical team organizes a bilingual case file and obtains a pre-review opinion from a senior specialist at a public Class-A tertiary hospital — before you pay anything to any hospital.
Privacy: cross-border transfer is encrypted and follows China's Personal Information Protection Law.