Notice on Issues Related to the Payment of Medical Expenses for Foreign Covid-19 Patients

To the Security Administration, Foreign Affairs Office, Department (bureau) of Finance, and Health Commission of each province, autonomous region, directly-governed municipality, and those of the Xinjiang Production Corps: Based on the current situation with Covid-19 epidemic, the following notice is hereby given on appropriately carrying out work such as on the payment medical expenses for foreign national covid-19 patients, in order to earnestly implement the overall prevention and control strategy of "Outward prevention to stop imports, Internal Prevention to Rebound":

I. Under the leadership of the local leadership group (command center) for epidemic response, all relevant local departments should closely cooperate to know of foreign Covid-19 patients in realtime and complete efforts on their care and settlement of medical costs.

II. Where confirmed or suspected foreign Covid-19 patients are not enrolled in our nation's basic healthcare insurance system, medical establishments shall first treat them and then collect fees, being sure to collect what is owed as possible; with patients individually bearing responsibility for medical expenses. Where they are enrolled in commercial health insurance, the commercial health insurance companies are to promptly make payment in accordance with their contracts.

III. Confirmed and suspected foreign Covid-19 patients are enrolled in our nation's basic healthcare insurance system, the basic healthcare insurance, and serious illness are to make payment in accordance with regulations, with additional expenses borne by the patients personally.

IV. Medical expenses incurred by foreign nationals enrolled in our nation's basic healthcare insurance while kept in hospital for observation are to be paid by the basic healthcare insurance in accordance with regulations. Where they are not enrolled in our nation's basic healthcare insurance, they are borne personally.

V. Expenses incurred by foreign nationals in centralized isolation should in principle be born by the individual.

VI. Each local department should appropriately carry out work such as treatment, settlement of medical expenses, and monitoring of foreign national Covid-19 patients. Where major issues or situations are encountered, promptly report them to the National Healthcare Security Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and National Health Commission, and other such departments.

National Healthcare Security Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Finance, National Health Commission

April 3, 2020