Before signing up for a family doctor in your community, find out which services are covered by yibao and which you’ll have to pay for out of pocket

6. Before signing up for a family doctor in your community, find out which services are covered by yibao and which you’ll have to pay for out of pocket

Cost: There’s no cost involved. Asking a few questions before you sign up takes just a minute.

In plain terms: The standard package of basic services is covered by yibao as required. Any customized service packages must be paid for entirely by the patient. When someone offers an “upgrade package,” be sure to ask whether it’s a basic or customized package, whether it’s officially registered, and how much it costs per year.

Benefit: The basic service package is paid for by yibao per regulations. Customized packages require full out‑of‑pocket payment and must also be registered with the county‑level health authority.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: General Office of the State Council of China (2026). Several measures to accelerate the construction of a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system. <https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202604/content_7065031.htm>: "Strengthen the linkage between grassroots outpatient payment and contract service policies, and include basic service packages in medical insurance payment according to regulations; The personalized service package is registered with the county-level health department according to the contracted primary medical and health institutions, and the fee is paid by the individual. "

Notes: The real value of signing up lies in having a doctor follow your health over the long term, not in the number of services included. When offered an “upgrade package,” ask three key questions: is it a basic or customized package, is it registered, and what’s the annual cost?