I would not buy insurance here in Kunming. I would buy it from a US company if an American citizen. It will include repatriation cover. You can buy all you need online, and get all of your questions answered.

I agree with Tiger. From my experience and observation of the way Chinese health insurance for foreigners works, it is always a disappointment. Deductibles seem to vary from person to person and a lot of 'sorry that isn't covered' was the case. Teachers at the university level had to first go to the school infirmary.

Over 65 yo could not be covered.

Once, the older teachers were sent to the insurance company's private clinic for a health check. When it was time to draw blood, I noticed needles, bloody ones, were being reused. Magically, when I raised hell, the new, unused needles appeared.

Unless it's really serious, medical costs in China will be cheaper than the cost of US insurance.
I've never seen 'bloody' needles being reused in China. Used needles can indeed be sterilized, although it's safer to use new ones each time, and I don't see any economic need in the Chinese health system to sterliize and reuse needles.
Does sound like you were involved with a dodgy insurance company - private?

In fact, in China, it is illegal to reuse needles. The pointy part is not to be reused. Plastic syringes are not to be reused in China.

I won't name the insurance company as it is large and well known. The clinic was large and operated much the same as the place you need to go for your health checks. Many people and they went from station to station.

When I got to the blood drawing station there were a few people in front of me so I had a chance to watch the procedures. They did not use the little vials in the modern way. The needles and plastic syringes were used to draw blood then the blood was expelled in to vials. The metal needles were removed from the plastic syringe and dropped into a metal tray containing. I suppose, alcohol which was a pink color. The plastic syringes were dropped into a paper box.

The next victim sat down, had his arm trussed up. The "nurse" grabbed a plastic syringe from the paper box and fished a needle from a metal tray then assembled the two parts into a functioning syringe. She then found a vein, stuck the needle in and pulled back on the plunger to draw the blood.

When it was my turn, I pointed at the freshly assembled syringe and said, "不好！脏！" and stood up. The nurses immediately knew and understood what I meant. From a cupboard a box of new syringes was produced and I was allowed to examine the unopened syringes.

I really don't care you have never seen. Most Chinese are medical experts as the average 18 year old Chinese knows more about medicine, disease, and treatment than any Western doctor. I am sure I am not the only expat to be given somber medical advice by all sorts of Chinese.

This was back in the day when expats would go and buy new syringes to bring with when visiting the hospital. Those were the days when government hospitals were spreading HIV and hepatitis with reused syringes. This was not done intentionally but was the result of trying to save money. Today, those practices are illegal as is driving on sidewalks.

@geezer - interesting anecdotes.

For insurance - I'd approach this issue using the project management bass backwards approach and start at the desired end-point, work my way backwards, starting with the hospital I'd want to provide catastrophic to critical and or emergency care. What insurance plans do they accept? Don't take their word - you'll also have to check HOW they accept the insurance (example, do you still have to PRE-PAY, then YOU bill the insurance for reimbursement). THEN I'd choose the insurance plan that I KNOW they accept, look for the most comprehensive, best value, and at my age - the plan which provides the best coverage for aging based illnesses and diseases, assisted living, to end of life-hospice.

On that note - if you're a lao pigu, it's also advisable to have a living will - how you want to be treated if you're unable to make decisions yourself (no futile life-sustaining treatments for terminal diseases, brain dead, etc), to ensure quality and dignity of life through death.

For the record - hospitals that have a few doctors or nurses that can speak a smattering of English does NOT guarantee quality of service or healthcare.

@Geezer: Glad it's illegal, hope they'll enforce the law on this one.
@laotou: 'smattering of English' - no, why would it?