Good thread and apropos to many of us. I have been looking at various options for some form of "catastrophic" and/or major medical insurance for my wife and I, who are expected to arrive in Shaoxing for a year of teaching later this month. The short and long of it all, you'd be better off securing some decent insurance from a major health care provider back in your home country. Also, and very importantly, if you have such insurance now then by all means try to keep this insurance, even a scaled down version, in place for your year or more in China. (Note: Such insurance wouldn't be terribly expensive to continue if you're from a country where a National Health Care Program is in place. In America, it will cost an arm and a leg I'm afraid.) The reason I say this is that I have researched most health insurance programs available for expats and all, and I mean all, come with an exclusion for "pre-existing conditions." This may seem a small exclusion, but caveat emptor. It is no small matter. For example, if you or your spouse have any history of high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol for which you have received treatment in the past, then you will be excluded from any coverage if heaven forbid anyone in the family comes down with any form of heart issue/disease of any type. In other words, you may think that $3,000 and more out of pocket upfront will get you coverage for heart, stroke and/or cancer related illnesses and more, but that premium will get you squat. And, even if you do file a claim for what you might consider an illness or injury that is definitely not "pre-existing," I am here to report that all of those expat insurance companies will take you for a ride around the mulberry bush and back and back again. They will deny, deny, deny your claim, hoping you will get tired of the refusals and simply go away. Such is a reality with expat insurance programs out there. Also, most, if not all, expat insurance plans call for you to pay for your claims and then file for reimbursement. Good luck with that because that's when the refusals will commence.
Is there an alternative? I don't know. I'm keeping my mind open. I imagine that my wife and I will continue our coverage here in America, albeit very expensive; however, once we get on the ground in China we will be exploring what our options are with respect to major medical from Chinese insurance providers. I'm hoping that we'll get coverage from a reputable insurance company once there and at 1/5 the cost of the American health care gouging company we are currently with. Hope this has helped you to some extent. If there are any members out there who have decent and cost effective major medical insurance from either an expat or Chinese insurance company, then please elucidate. I, for one, will be all ears. Cheers, Caley