Hospital Deposits: Keep Records from Payment Through Settlement and Refund
Before admission, a hospital may ask you to pay a deposit. It may also ask for additional deposits during your stay. Match each payment to the patient’s inpatient account, check how much was applied to the bill at discharge, and track any remaining balance until the refund reaches the recipient.
Key Points
- First ask what the payment is for, who receives it, which visit it covers, and what happens if you cancel or have money left over. The deposit amount is neither the final cost nor a price cap.
- Keep records of every payment and the hospital’s confirmation that it was credited. Even after your bank shows a debit, confirm that the hospital received the money and credited it to the correct patient account.
- Check the final charges, amounts already paid, and what insurance actually covers. Avoid counting a deposit again after it has already been applied to the bill.
- A refund application, the hospital sending a refund, and the recipient receiving it are different stages. Before leaving the country, confirm who is handling it, the refund channel, and how to follow up.
What to Ask Before Paying
Ask the hospital’s billing office or international medical department to confirm in writing whether the payment is an inpatient deposit, a booking payment, or a service fee; the legal entity receiving it; the patient’s name, hospital campus, and visit or admission number; how it will be applied to charges; what happens if you cancel; and when additional payments may be required. Before paying, verify the recipient’s payment details using contact information published on the hospital’s official website, especially if you are told that the receiving account has changed.
If a family member or company will pay, first ask whether the hospital accepts this, what documents are needed, whose name will appear on the receipt, who will receive any remaining balance, and whether the refund can be processed after the payer leaves the country. Confirm accepted payment methods, currencies, and limits. For cross-border payments, ask both the hospital and the bank about fees and the refund route.
Under a notice issued by China’s National Health Commission and other authorities, public medical institutions must stop collecting outpatient deposits from March 31, 2025. Deposits may be retained for emergency care, emergency observation, outpatient or emergency surgery, and people who genuinely need to keep funds on deposit, subject to conditions including the patient’s voluntary agreement. Separate rules apply to inpatient deposits. Paying the actual outpatient charges for each visit is different from paying an outpatient deposit; ask the hospital to explain any unclear payment. The notice applies to public medical institutions of all levels and types, medical institutions designated under the medical insurance system, and military-run medical and healthcare institutions. Other non-public medical institutions may follow it as a reference. Confirm the institution’s status and local rules with the hospital or responsible authority.[1]
Check the recipients and refund terms for hospital medical charges and EastMedGo coordination service fees separately. See Services and Fees and Terms of Service.
Record Every Payment
Use the table below to record the initial payment, additional payments, and failed or reversed transactions. Keep transaction numbers somewhere secure. Give the billing office only the information needed to trace the payment; do not display full passport or bank card numbers publicly.
| Date and time | Patient and visit number | Payer, payment method, and currency | Amount and transaction number | Hospital receipt / account status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To be completed | To be completed | To be completed | To be completed | Initiated / Debited / Hospital received and credited the payment / To be checked |
Keep hospital deposit receipts and bank or payment records. A payment app showing “successful” only confirms the status shown by the payment service. Ask the billing office to check whether the hospital received the money, whether it was credited to the correct visit account, and the current balance. If the money has been debited but the hospital cannot find it, keep the transaction time, amount, and reference number, and ask the billing office and payment provider to investigate separately. Do not pay again until this is resolved.
Check the Balance When Asked for an Additional Deposit
After receiving a request for an additional payment, ask the billing office for the deposits already credited, charges already recorded, and current balance. Ask whether the additional payment covers costs already incurred or is being held for further treatment. Ask the clinical team to explain treatment changes and the billing office to explain the amount. If there is an insurance guarantee of payment, ask the hospital and insurer to confirm its current status and how much the patient still needs to pay. Do not assume that an unconfirmed insurance amount has already arrived.
If urgent medical care is needed, contact the clinical team immediately while family members and the billing office handle the financial issues in parallel.
Reconcile the Bill at Discharge
The national notice generally requires public medical institutions to complete inpatient bill settlement within 3 working days after discharge; settlement does not mean that a refund has reached the recipient. Ask about the status of your case. Request an itemized inpatient bill, a settlement statement, and official receipts. Check canceled items, duplicate charges, and any charges you question, and ask the billing office to explain differences. Match every deposit and additional payment confirmed as credited to this admission’s account against the amounts applied on the settlement statement. For amounts covered by insurance or another party, use the status confirmed by the hospital’s settlement records and the payer.
For example, in this hypothetical calculation, the patient’s final share of medical charges is RMB 8,000, the patient previously paid RMB 10,000 in deposits that were all credited, and there are no other adjustments. The remaining balance is RMB 2,000; confirm the refund with the hospital. The RMB 8,000 already includes the portion covered by the deposit, so the RMB 10,000 must not be added again as an extra medical expense. If the patient’s share, third-party payments, or adjustments have not been confirmed, the remaining balance cannot yet be determined.
For example, Beijing Tiantan Hospital publicly states that it can automatically process discharge settlement and online refunds for eligible patients who made non-cash personal advance payments and have no outstanding charges. Cash, checks, bank drafts, and similar payments still require processing at a staffed counter. Other hospitals have different procedures. Before leaving, ask whether your bill has been settled and whether any charges remain pending.[2]
How to Track a Refund That Has Not Arrived
Ask the billing office to confirm the refund amount, currency, original transaction it relates to, recipient, refund method, required identification or authorization, expected processing time, and contact person. If several payments came from different people or channels, ask where each payment will be refunded. If the original card is no longer valid, the payer has left the country, or the payer cannot attend in person, ask the hospital to explain alternative procedures and the supporting documents needed. Do not assume that the money can be transferred to another account.
| Current status | Who to contact and what to confirm next |
|---|---|
| Application submitted | Ask the hospital whether it has been accepted, what documents are missing, and who is responsible |
| Under hospital review | Ask the billing or finance department about any differences in amounts, approval, and when to contact them again |
| Hospital says the refund has been sent | Request a refund reference number that can be used to trace it, then contact the receiving bank or payment platform |
| Recipient has received the funds | Check the amount, currency, and each refund, and keep records; ask the hospital and bank separately about any differences |
Currency conversion and fees may affect the amount received in another currency; confirm the details with the payment provider. The hospital’s handling of receipts, sending of the refund, and the funds reaching the recipient are also separate steps. If a refund occurs after a receipt has been issued, ask the hospital how to handle the original receipt and whether it needs to be corrected or reissued, then give the insurer the correct documents. The rules for issuing red-letter reversals of electronic fiscal receipts apply to that type of receipt; other receipts follow their own rules.[3]
If the process is unfinished when you leave the country, first test whether you can log in to the refund portal and receive verification codes from abroad. Ask the hospital which approved alternatives are available if you cannot use it. Leave an email address or phone number where you can be reached, and confirm the department handling the case, the next contact date, and a secure way to submit documents. If the issue remains unresolved for a long time, submit a timeline and supporting records through the hospital’s formal complaints channel. For questions involving deposit rules at public institutions, you can consult the local health authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a deposit lock in the treatment price?
Payment alone does not establish a fixed price. Ask the hospital to explain in writing the nature of the advance payment, what the estimate includes, and which items may change.
Will a payment made by someone else always be refunded to the patient?
Not necessarily. Before payment, ask the hospital to confirm the refund recipient, the original payment channel, and any required authorization. If there are several payers, confirm each payment separately.
What if I lose the receipt?
Contact the hospital’s billing office promptly. Provide the patient’s identity details, admission number, payment time, amount, and transaction records. Ask whether the hospital can trace the payment, provide replacement proof, or process a refund. The hospital will confirm the specific documents required.
How much can be refunded if I have not been admitted or treatment is canceled?
First ask the hospital to confirm the nature of the payment, costs already incurred, and the booking or service terms. Obtain a written settlement and refund explanation. Do not apply inpatient account balance rules directly to booking payments or service fees.
If my insurer says it will pay directly, do I still need to pay a deposit?
You may. Ask the hospital and insurer separately to confirm whether this service has a guarantee of payment, what documents have been received, which charges the patient must pay upfront, and how the final bill will be settled.
What if I dispute the final bill?
Keep the itemized bill, estimate, and receipts. Mark the items, dates, quantities, and differences in amounts, and ask the billing office to explain or contact the relevant department to verify them. If the issue cannot be resolved, use the hospital’s formal complaints channel and record the responses and next steps.
What documents should I keep after the refund is complete?
Keep the final itemized bill, valid receipts, the hospital’s refund record, and proof that the recipient received the funds. If receipts are corrected, also keep the correction records and new receipts. Use the correct versions for insurance claims, as required by the insurer.
Sources
Checked on: November 6, 2026. The hospital example describes only that hospital’s published process. Confirm the specific service, campus, and payment method with the hospital providing your care.
- National Health Commission and other authorities: Notice on Standardizing Deposit Management at Public Medical Institutions, March 25, 2025.
- Beijing Municipal Health Commission, republishing Beijing Tiantan Hospital: Discharge Settlement for Patients Making Non-Cash Personal Advance Payments, April 9, 2025.
- Ministry of Finance: Measures for the Administration of Electronic Fiscal Receipts, provisions on refunds and red-letter reversals for electronic fiscal receipts.