DS got a cut on his hand that required stitches, but it was small enough that I expected Yale Health to handle it. They sent him to YNH ER. Not a big deal; he wasted a few hours, imo unnecessarily, but I’m not a doctor. When meningitis hit the campus, Yale Health stepped up.
We waive coverage. We are also close enough (2 hours by car/train) that he can always see a doctor at home if necessary.
^^ I’d be up for a cup of coffee at whatever coffee spot the kids recommend. Fwiw, might be nice to open it up to CC parents more generally, even if we haven’t had the long association with them.
@IxnayBob - Yale Health Urgent Care is hit or miss for things like suturing – it depends on the skill set of the doc who happens to be working there at the time. Plenty of ER docs do moonlight there, but so do doctors from other specialties. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that in our ultra-specialized world, plenty of doctors never have occasion to care for wounds. You wouldn’t want one of them (me, for example) stitching a laceration on your kid. I only got to repair one laceration in residency and none since – and I do primary care. Also hand lacerations can be tricky if there’s any question as to whether deeper structures were affected.
@BKSquared - if your insurance will cover specialists in New Haven you should be fine waiving insurance. Primary care, Acute Care, and the infirmary are free for students, also blood tests and I think flu shots – there is a web page that details the coverage that I am too lazy to find.
@IxnayBob, I’d be up for that. Reading @Tperry1982 's posts, I am actually classmates with her.
@BKSquared – did you waive the Yale Health coverage? My son’s bill shows the charge for the coverage, and then the reversal of the charge. I assumed the reversal appeared because I had waived the coverage online.
@IxnayBob – I did not know about meningitis on campus, but you are confirming my decision to have both boys receive the Bexsero vaccine. Yale does not require it, and I still do not know if their insurance will pay for it, but am moving forward anyway.
Editorial comment: Yale Health is plenty expensive for a group model plan. My older son has his medical insurance through his university plan, and it is only $400 more per year for very good coverage anywhere in the country.
@CT1417 haven’t waived it yet, but plan to do so at this point.
^ driving back from Trader Joe’s in a downpour, I started thinking… I wonder if there’s an overlap of time when non-graduating parents are on campus with graduating parents.
@CIEE83, I’m grateful that they turned him away if they thought he’d get better care elsewhere. The removal of the stitches was a learning opportunity for DS. He went back at the scheduled time, had a rookie remove the stitches, she got a stricken look, decided to glue the not fully recovered wound, and told DS he shouldn’t get it wet for some amount of time. He said that he was going to Turks and Caicos with his GF, and if she thought he wasn’t going to swim, well, that was a non starter. He, and his hand, survived. Life lesson: when it matters, ask questions, and if you don’t think the person is answering in a satisfactory way, ask to see a superior. It might make you a PITA, but it’s one of only two hands you have.
Funny Yale Health insurance topic just hit. Must have been the bill that went out yesterday 
Debating again weather coverage is really necessary but since we have Kaiser AND kid is an athlete I think I will just bite the bullet and opt in for it again. Better safe than sorry $$$$$
Btw…anyone know if the blue book is available to us parents to take a peek? Is it available to general public or just students. Just curious to see what’s available this fall. Really pushing my kid to take that underwater basket weaving or competitive interpretive dance class
Blue Book here, I think: http://catalog.yale.edu/ycps/
@IxnayBob - I’m sorry, my post wasn’t clear. I still hate communicating this way. I meant all the parents of Class of 18 should try to meet for a minute. Having lived through a Yale graduation, it is crazy, even for the parents. A good time for a cross class get together would be either Parents’ Weekend or the game - which is at Yale this year. My best bud from Yale, same class as mine, has a daughter also graduating this year and we plan on having a helluva tailgate at The Game this year. Any CC folk are welcome to stop by. Will provide info as the time gets closer.
As far as health insurance, we have federal blue cross blue shield so I waive the additional coverage. Over the 3 years she has been there, I have had to bring her home once for dental work (train ride cheaper than an out of pocket procedure) and she went to an ENT in New Haven when she had an issue with an ongoing ear problem that Yale Health gave her the wrong advice about (a lesson we had learned years earlier by a mistake of another doctor). A $30 co-pay and she was good. I can say that she has never gone to Yale Health and has chosen to self doctor herself through a couple of nasty colds and the flu. I was a basket case, but she survived.
I love the idea of a meet and greet of parents. I have already met two moms (if for no reason but to prove I am reasonably normal overall)
@Memmsmom - aren’t we all “normal”? We’ve raised awesome, only slightly flawed, kids. =))
@Tperry1982 you have a valid point there- my kid is currently studying abroad and she literally messaged me to ask me to pick out her clothing for tomorrow… and all they are doing is going to another village. For all the big decisions in her life, she can’t handle getting dressed! ha ha ha
Since my 21 year old has been home, I have been asked how a bank account works, how to write a check, how much is too much for an apartment and if a $3,000 a month apartment is doable (the average rate in our hometown). I guess this is a good sign that she is finally beginning to understand she has to start adulting and dealing with her own financials.
I have loved having my D here for the summer since this is the first one she’s been home all summer since she started. Not going to last though, she is going to Germany for three weeks in August. Do Yale kids ever stay put?
Doesn’t it feel good for her to come to you for the simple things? Means you have a great relationship and she wants your advice on the most mundane things. Some moms would be envious of such a close relationship.
@Memmsmom you are lovely and very real 
I say a “meet and greet” for cc parents at Mory’s or another venue if anyone is around drop off week is in order. I would love to meet and raise a glass with ya all Everyone has been so helpful. Made first year without youngest bearable having my stupid questions answered without judgement. Thanks all!
If you all meet up sometime other than grad weekend, I would love to join you. Hopefully you will post here as I am reading along carefully, trying to get the lay of the land.
@Tperry1982 – my older son once wrote a check payable to ‘eighty dollars’; it was honored at the bank. He has resorted to paying this share of the apartment utility bills via Venmo.
I’m not sure my kids have ever written a check. The few checks they receive, they deposit via mobile app. It’s all CC, direct deposit, Venmo, etc.
On a more practical level, DS asks me about real estate, rent vs buy, salaries, lifestyle choices, asset allocations, Roth vs traditional IRA, how secretive/open to be about finances, etc. These kids are so smart, but yet so unprepared. I appreciate still being useful to them.