According to the 2015 National Cancer Registry Report, cancer 5 year survival rate is only 30.9% in China - a far cry from USA’s 66%. America has the latest medication, medical equipment and expertise which offers more treatment option and aids greatly in enhancing the outcomes for critical illnesses. However, healthcare costs in USA is also higher than China’s by 3 to 5 times. Furthermore, seeking medical treatment in a foreign country can be daunting and communicating with foreign doctors can pose challenges even if one is well-versed in English.

BOC Insurance and MSH CHINA launched China’s first Critical Illness International Plan to help those who are seeking overseas treatment but worried about the associated high costs. When the insured is diagnosed with a critical illness, MSH will offer the availability of a top international medical expert’s second opinion, recommend suitable hospitals/specialists, coordinate travel arrangement, including hotel booking, air ticket arrangement and interpretation services during the treatment period. The medical costs incurred by the insured, together with the travel and accommodation expenses of the accompanying person will be paid directly to the hospital, hotel and airline company without  having the insured fork out a single cent.

The definition of “critical illness” in the MSH plan differs from how critical illnesses are normally defined. It includes cancer and 5 major treatments (coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), cardiac valve replacement, neurosurgery, live organ transplantation and bone marrow transplant). Cancers include all malignant tumours except lymphoma of the skin, carcinoma in situ and precancerous lesion. 

The classic Critical Illness International Plan provides an insured sum of ¥6 million per policy year and ¥12 million for lifetime at an annual cost of ¥2,519. The VIP version offers double coverage (¥12 million annually and ¥24 million for lifetime), with an upgrade to Business Class travel, 5-star hotel accommodation, daily hospital subsidies up to ¥1,200 with a return allowrance of ¥120,000 - all at a cost of ¥4,925 annually. This CI plan is open to all Chinese residing permanently in the Greater China region, who are free to travel anywhere outside the Greater China region for treatment.