<p>Congrats to All of the Yalies and their parents today.
Have enjoyed seeing all of the pics on FB regarding Class Day etc. Today is Commencement, correct?</p>
<p>Re surveys: I think it was random.</p>
<p>Re insurance: we pay for K1 to have the Yale plan AND keep the current family PPO in place, covering all bases and travel, home, school etc.</p>
<p>Today is commencement, and you can watch in on a live stream.</p>
<p>Thanks to the parents who posted about their experiences with the Yale Health plan vs. their current family medical plan. Your posts were very informative.</p>
<p>We live in California and currently have Athem Blue Cross of California. We had a choice of the PPO plan or the HMO, and we’ve been on the HMO for quite a while now & really like it (our doctors & hospitalization are all through Scripps).</p>
<p>I called Anthem/BC today to inquire about us having a local HMO plan & what would happen with our kiddo heading off to Yale in the Fall. They checked our plan coverage & said we’re eligible for their “Away from Home Care” coverage. The family member using this must be away from home for 3 months or longer & you must sign up in advance. So, once the student is signed up under this plan, Anthem/Blue Cross will transfer the student’s medical & mental health coverage to a new primary medical group in their new location. I had them look up New Haven, and they said they have Blue Cross coverage & providers there. They’re mailing me the paperwork, although they told me not to complete it until I have the full mailing address, PO Box #, etc. at Yale in August. They said I would have to contact our dental & vision plans separately to see if they had anything similar.</p>
<p>It all sounds good. Allows hubby & I to keep our current HMO plan & doctors without switching to PPO and going back to submitting medical claims paperwork (yuck!). </p>
<p>Just thought I’d pass this along for anyone else dealing with Blue Cross HMO coverage.</p>
<p>We had Blue Cross PPO when my older child went to Yale and coverage was the same as if she was in our state. It turned out to be a good thing because she did need ongoing care with a specialist and being able to choose was important. It is really important to check with your insurance company to make sure out of state is the same as in state or to make sure you don’t have to do anything special.</p>
<p>I also have a question on health insurance. We live in California and have Kaiser insurance. My husband called Kaiser and they said they will cover urgent and emergency care, he isn’t concerned and thinks we don’t need to look into other options at New Haven…I am still worried. Any words of wisdom? Thanks.</p>
<p>^ oh and this is for our (healthy) daughter that starts school this fall as a Freshman. Thanks.</p>
<p>Does the Yale medical facility where the students go take Kaiser?
Or would your student prefer to use something off campus?</p>
<p><a href=“http://yalehealth.yale.edu/faq/coverage-0[/url]”>http://yalehealth.yale.edu/faq/coverage-0</a></p>
<p>suzanne6868-- I believe that Yale Health will itself cover urgent and emergency care (check the brochure), so Kaiser isn’t adding much in that case. My daughter (who waived Yale Health Insurance) got stitches at Yale Health when she cracked her head open. We however have BC/BS which will cover non-routine care if necessary (but apparently not at Yale Health- rather with other doctors in New Haven). Fortunately we’ve had no need for care other than flu shots and the stitches.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if it is possible to view the “The Ideal Yale Experience” video online that the class of 2012 presented at Class day last Sunday? I loved it!</p>
<p>Thank you Fogfog for the link, I think she prefers to stay on campus.
Thank you also Donnaleighg for the information. I think we may also waive the Yale Health Insurance.</p>
<p>Suzanne - Yale Health offers free primary care, including routine gyn and 24-7 urgent care, to its undergrads at no cost. This includes care in their “infirmary,” which can supply IV medications, oxygen, and other skilled nursing-type care. It covers labs and psychotherapy (though the latter is only available through in-house providers, and access for non-urgent issues is not always instantaneous). Flu shots are also covered. What would not be coveredis emergency room visits, hospitalization, diagnostic imaging, and specialty care (for example allergy, orthopdics, physical therapy, neurology, eye exams, etc.). You can buy prescription coverage, but only if you also sign up for hospitalization and specialty care.</p>
<p>^ I think this is all correct but the YHP docs will not let you know if something is covered even if you ask them. If you need an xray they will just order it through the YHP and your child needs to say wait, I really should go over to the Yale Medical Group at Yale-New Haven hospital to get that service. Personally I have been less bothered by the poorer “out of network” coverage at YHP than the fact they have had trouble billing BC/BS as an out of network provider. They don’t really care if it gets processed correctly or not since it goes directly to the bursar bill at the full billed amount. The billing staff seem very nice on the phone and have apologized for the troublesome claims processing.</p>
<p>Ultimately it is important for your kid to understand the limits of primary care offered. If they go in for a cough the evaluation is covered. If it is suggested they get a chest x-ray or allergy tests, it is not. The billing people told me the YHP doc will order a referral to the YHP allergist and not suggest a visit to one of the renowned and in-network Yale Medical Group allergists blocks away from the central campus.</p>
<p>Bear in mind that a lot of docs don’t know the coverage rules that well. YHP staffs Acute Care with moonlighters on nights and weekends, and there are different rules for waived and non-waived students, employees, children, and retirees. I agree that it behooves your child to know what is and isn’t covered through YHP, nuisance though that is.</p>
<p>Yalemom,</p>
<p>Just go to [2012</a> Commencement Ceremonies on the New Livestream. Live. Redefined.](<a href=“http://new.livestream.com/yale/commencement2012]2012”>http://new.livestream.com/yale/commencement2012). Look for Yale class day 2012, and skip to 1:40:00, when the video starts.</p>
<p>Thanks JCBK!</p>
<p>Speaking of health care: Did anyone here have their child sign some sort of HIPAA release form authorizing the release of medical information before sending them to Yale? Does Yale Health provide any such form? A friend of mine who has a child at another college had her attorney draw one up, but she says some schools have a standard one. I have not been able to find one, if Yale has one.</p>
<p>Thanks CIEE83 and YaleGradandDad for the information. You’ve been great help.</p>
<p>bookmobile:</p>
<p>This might be what you are seeking:
<a href=“http://yalehealth.yale.edu/sites/default/files/designation_of_personal_representative.pdf[/url]”>http://yalehealth.yale.edu/sites/default/files/designation_of_personal_representative.pdf</a></p>
<p>Other helpful links here:
[Forms</a> | YaleHealth](<a href=“http://yalehealth.yale.edu/forms]Forms”>Forms | Yale Health)</p>
<p>Bookmobile: your child should have gotten a mailing a few weeks ago with the financial bond and various other information. Included in that mailing was a gray form from YHP with a website to download required health forms including the ones you’re asking about. The site is [New</a> Undergraduate Student Forms | YaleHealth](<a href=“http://yalehealth.yale.edu/new-undergraduate-student-forms]New”>New Undergraduate Student Forms | Yale Health).</p>
<p>When I typed in that link, the words were separated by hyphens - don’t know what happened. Anyway, the link works.</p>