In the first quarter of 2021, hospitals and medical institutions in the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, one of the 11 key industrial parks in the Hainan Free Trade Port, received a total revenue of 198 million yuan (30.987 million USD) and 25,300 visits.

The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Boao, Hainan, China’s southernmost province (Photo credit: www.lecityhn.com)

 The Boao International Hospital, one of the hospitals in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (Photo credit: www.lecityhn.com)
 

The drastic increase in numbers is a reflection of the ever-accelerating development of Boao Lecheng, which is leveraging the preferential policies brought by the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port while keeping pace with the international market and serving as a gateway for international, advanced medicines to enter China. As a result, the area has attracted more and more visitors, some of whom may have originally planned to seek medical treatment outside of China. By the end of May 2021, a total of nearly 140 types of innovative medicines and medical devices that have not yet entered the Chinese market have been brought into Boao Lecheng, which is the only place they can be legally used in China.

That’s not all — Boao Lecheng wants to make sure patients not only have access to, but also can afford the medicines that they need. Among many measures to assist in this regard is the Cross-border Special Treatment & Medicine Insurance, which was launched at the end of 2020. In terms of “special treatment”, this insurance helps ease financial burdens while covering the treatment costs for 35 types of malignant tumors and 2 types of rare diseases in Boao Lecheng. In terms of “special medicines”, it covers medical costs for 49 types of special medicines yet to be approved in China as well as 21 types of special medicines that have already been approved for use in China but which are not covered by Chinese health insurance. Additionally, the insurance is carefully designed so that it will benefit all people. All those eligible can enjoy an insurance amount of up to 7 million CNY (about 1.1 million USD), with a monthly premium of a minimum of about 15 CNY (about 2.3 USD). For more information on this insurance, see http://www.hicn.cn/system/2020/12/17/032478649.shtml.