Why people look abroad
Denied, uninsured or waiting: when treatment abroad is worth pricing
Most people start looking abroad after an insurance denial, a self-pay quote they can’t afford, or a waiting list measured in months. This section covers how to push back at home first, and when it’s worth comparing a written price from a large hospital in China.
- 27%
- US adults with no dental insuranceCareQuest, 2024
- USD 1,700
- US high-deductible plan, minimum deductible, self-onlyIRS, 2026
- 60.9%
- England: trauma and orthopaedics waiting list, share waited under 18 weeksNHS England, Jun 2026; standard 92%
- 48.6 weeks
- Canada: median wait from GP referral to orthopaedic treatmentFraser Institute survey, 2025
Insurance denied
Appeal first; a denial is often not the last word
Ask for the denial reason in writing, get your doctor’s letter of medical necessity, and use the internal appeal and, in the US, external review. Our articles walk through each step.
No insurance or high deductible
Ask for the cash price, then compare
Self-pay prices can differ a lot from billed prices. Get an itemised cash quote at home, then compare it with a written, itemised price from a large hospital in China, including travel.
On a waiting list
Public queues for scans and surgery run to months
In June 2026, 60.9% of England’s orthopaedic waiting list had waited under 18 weeks against a 92% standard; Canada’s median wait from GP referral to orthopaedic treatment was 48.6 weeks in 2025. Large Chinese hospitals quote foreign patients individually.
We handle the China part
A written price and dates, so you can compare like with like
Send us your situation and any quote or denial you have. We come back with the hospital, the dates and an itemised price, so you can decide with real numbers.
Read more
- Why Is US Healthcare So Expensive? Prices, Insurance, Options
Why US healthcare costs twice as much per person as peer countries, what ER visits and hospital days cost, how to get a price upfront, and when abroad fits in.
- What a Procedure Really Costs in the US, and How to Ask
What US surgery, scans, ER visits and hospital stays cost with and without insurance, which separate fees to expect, and how to get a written estimate first.
- US Health Insurance Costs: Premiums, Deductibles, Out-of-Pocket
What US health insurance costs per month and per year, how deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums work, what Medicare costs, and when cash is cheaper.
- NHS, Canada and Australia Waiting Lists vs Private Cover
Official waiting times in England, Canada and Australia, what private health insurance costs and excludes, what paying yourself costs, and when to look abroad.
- Medical Bills and Debt: Financial Assistance and Payment Plans
How to get hospital financial assistance, check an itemized bill, negotiate a payment plan, and what happens to unpaid US medical bills and your credit report.
- Prior Authorization Delays: How Long Insurance Approval Takes
How long US prior authorization takes before surgery or a scan, the legal decision deadlines, what to do when approval stalls or is denied, and the self-pay route.
Show all 8 articles
- Health Insurance Denied? How to Appeal and Get External Review
How to appeal a US health insurance denial for a procedure: deadlines, the letter that helps, external review, disputing hospital bills, and what to do next.
- Cash Price vs Insurance: When Paying Yourself Is Cheaper
When a US cash price beats using insurance, why hospitals bill insurers more, how to find a self-pay price and a good faith estimate, and the trade-offs to know.
Nothing here fits?
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