SHENGSHI MEDICAL TRAVEL
China Medical Tourism: The Complete 2026 Guide
Hospitals, budgets, entry planning and family support: prepare for your medical trip to China, step by step.
Shengshi Medical Travel · Updated 30 September 2026
The one-minute overview
Start with specialist review
Confirm the question and the records needed before booking.
Separate the costs
Keep the hospital, service package and flights on separate lines.
Confirm before travelling
Check appointments, entry requirements and family arrangements.
01
Start with your questions
A useful first conversation starts with your goal: understanding an existing diagnosis, exploring another treatment option or arranging a planned checkup. Shengshi coordinates appointments and travel; the receiving medical team decides whether it can assess or treat you. A remote second opinion may clarify the next step before you book flights.
Prepare three questions for the specialist, a short treatment history and your preferred language. An assessment may lead to further tests or continued care at home, as well as an invitation to China.
Explore remote second opinions02
Choose a hospital and a city together
Start with the relevant specialty, then compare the appointment pathway, ward, interpretation and travel distance. An ordinary department, an international department and a private hospital may offer different service arrangements and pricing. Confirm the exact campus and clinician rather than relying only on a hospital name.
We coordinate travel in Boao Lecheng in Hainan, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing and other destinations. Your hospital appointments come first; sightseeing is arranged around them.
Explore hospitals and specialties03
Understand the proposed care
For oncology, chronic conditions, orthopedics or a health checkup, ask what question each test or treatment is intended to address, what alternatives exist and what follow-up is needed. A service package reserves support for your stay; it does not determine a treatment or guarantee eligibility.
For a Lecheng special-access medicine or cell/gene project, confirm the institution, specific product or technique, permitted use, current availability and your individual eligibility. A directory entry alone is not a treatment recommendation.
Browse treatment areas04
Separate the three parts of your budget
Keep hospital charges, Shengshi service packages and independent travel costs in separate lines. Ask the hospital whether its estimate includes consultations, anaesthesia, tests, implants or medicines, accommodation in hospital and follow-up. Confirm the currency, payment method, deposit and refund terms before paying.
The six China–US comparisons below are third-party estimates, not matched quotations. Insurance benefits and what each price includes can change the comparison substantially. Use the figures to frame questions, then request an itemised quote for your own case.
View medical cost references05
Choose the time and support you need
Our four one-patient service packages cover 3 days / 2 nights, 7 days / 6 nights, 15 days / 14 nights and a 30-day / 29-night wellness holiday. Reference prices are USD 2,980, 6,800, 12,800 and 22,800 respectively. Hospital fees and flights are separate.
Match the stay to confirmed appointments, expected observation and the doctor's travel advice. A package duration is not a promise that treatment will be complete by a set date. Extensions and changes need a revised written arrangement.
Plan a service budget06
Prepare records that help the specialist
Ask the receiving hospital for its document checklist. This may include diagnosis and discharge summaries, pathology reports, scans in the requested format, recent tests, a medication list and previous treatment dates. Keep originals and translations clearly separated and label files with dates.
Use the website inquiry form for service questions and contact details only. Before sharing medical records, agree on the receiving institution, consent and transfer method with your coordinator. Bring a usable copy of the confirmed documents with you.
Ask about document preparation07
Check entry requirements before booking
Confirm the correct entry route for your passport, purpose, destination and length of stay with the Chinese embassy, consulate or visa centre serving you. The visa centre lists medical treatment among S2 private-matter purposes; M is a commercial-trade category. Do not assume that a tourist or transit arrangement covers your medical trip.
Transit exemptions have nationality, onward-ticket, port and permitted-area conditions. Check the current official rules again before departure. Medical invitations support an application but do not guarantee a visa or entry. Agree on flight flexibility and any assistance needed at the airport.
Discuss travel arrangements08
Know who helps you each day
Before arrival, confirm your flight, meeting point, named contact and hotel. Your daily schedule should list appointment times, transport, interpretation and rest. Vehicle service and interpreting each cover 8 hours per day within the agreed package; additional time or routes are confirmed before use.
Ask the doctor to explain findings, alternatives and the next appointment in terms you understand. Your coordinator helps organise communication and documents. In an emergency, seek immediate medical assistance; a travel coordinator is not a substitute for an emergency team.
See the service journey09
Plan for your family and daily life
Packages are priced for one patient. A companion may share a five-star twin room within the hotel's confirmed occupancy; confirm the number of companions and room arrangement before departure. The included three daily meals, to a five-star dining standard, apply to the patient only. Explain allergies, food preferences and any prescribed diet in advance.
Sightseeing and traditional Chinese medicine experiences are optional and must fit your condition and medical schedule. Agree on the activity, operator and price first. Confirm the dates, insured persons and terms of the agreed China accident cover; it should not be assumed to pay for planned treatment or all medical complications.
Read package inclusions10
Prepare the handover before flying home
Before leaving, request the available discharge summary, reports, prescription list and follow-up instructions, with agreed translations. Confirm who you can contact, how future results will be shared and whether remote appointments or translations incur fees. Share the plan with your usual doctor at home.
Discharge and fitness to fly are different decisions. Confirm the treating team's travel advice and the airline's documentation requirements before the return journey. Keep time for observation or a changed departure date if your clinical plan requires it.
Read common questionsADDITIONAL PLANNING REFERENCES · USD
China and US medical cost comparison
Indicative China and US medical cost ranges for budget planning. These estimates are not confirmed hospital tariffs or a Shengshi quotation. Currency: US dollars (USD).
Coronary artery bypass surgery
- United States · reference
- USD 70,000–200,000
- China · reference
- USD 15,000–35,000
Hip replacement
- United States · reference
- USD 40,000–70,000
- China · reference
- USD 8,000–15,000
CAR-T cell therapy
- United States · reference
- USD 373,000–475,000
- China · reference
- USD 60,000–150,000
Comprehensive health checkup
- United States · reference
- USD 2,000–5,000
- China · reference
- USD 300–1,200
Proton / heavy-ion therapy (per course)
- United States · reference
- USD 100,000–150,000
- China · reference
- USD 30,000–50,000
Acupuncture (per session)
- United States · reference
- USD 75–200
- China · reference
- USD 15–50
These ranges are not matched hospital quotations or insurance out-of-pocket costs, and do not promise a saving. Hospital, ward category, implant/product and full inclusions are not specified; whether hip replacement is unilateral or bilateral is also not specified. Do not compare these directly with the separate 24-item CNY reference table. Proton and heavy-ion therapy are grouped here; confirm the actual modality and scope with the hospital. Final costs require individual assessment and a written quotation.
Your departure checklist
YOUR NEXT STEP
Start with a conversation.
Tell us your preferred language, travel dates and the support you need. We will explain the next steps before you book.