Bye-bye McCosh.
June 30, 2006
Dammit. So, once again they’ve changed the health-coverage plan at Princeton Theological Seminary. They assure us that the 8% increase in the already incredibly expensive fee is "a rate increase well below the trend in our area." However, the most significant change is our loss of access to Princeton University’s McCosh Health Center. In all my trips to McCosh in the past 2 years, I have been more than impressed with the staff, the free (read FREE) access to doctors, labs, x-rays. It’s been amazing. And now it’s gone. While the rest of our seminary’s administration (especially President Torrance) continually tries to enhance and increase the seminary’s relationship with Princeton University, Princeton Seminary decides to cut off the one resource most used and valued by its students. Now we have to drive and pay for each visit to the doctor; I realize this is what everyone else has to do, but the amazing convenience of being able to walk over to the university campus in 5 min and be seen by a University doctor for free was a huge relief for us grad students.
Thank you Princeton Theological Seminary. Other PTS folks - what are your thoughts?
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Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
June 30th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
That’s slightly annoying. But since you’ve sounded off, have you planned to give Dean Gross a call?
The last paragraph of her letter to us included this appeal:
As we make this significant transition, I ask for your patience and understanding as we work out the kinks administratively. We will be working out transportation assistance to PPUCC in the fall. Until then, call my office if you cannot find a fellow student to give you a ride to PPUCC. Please remember that the seminary staff who serves you is working with you and for you in the Lord. If you have serious issues with this transition, bring those issues to me.
[Emphsasis mine]
June 30th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Kellen. Slightly annoying? Yes, perhaps if you rarely use McCosh; some people have to use McCoch’s services significantly more often than others. All I know is that over the past few years, if I would have had to pay $10-$20 copays each time I went to the doctor, I would have spent a couple hundred dollars.
For the seminary to make a decision that is going to directly affect students and their financial situations in a negative way - that does not seem to be putting the students first, no matter if they are “working with us and for us in the Lord.” That line bothers me anyway; it is simply there to make people feel guilty for complaining about this change.
June 30th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Dear Lord! As an incoming student the cost of insurance was already freaking me out. I don’t use the doctor very often, but I feel like if I’m already paying $2,000 for insurance for NINE MONTHS, I should have convenient access to doctors if they are available nearby. And the really nice thing is…they didn’t tell us newbies anything about it.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
Right. Gotcha brother.
But you still didn’t answer my question.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Kellen, I emailed her.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Excellent my friend.
We need to swap marriage stories soon — that is, as soon as we have some to swap. Call me sometime. Maybe we can talk about something really trendy and sexy like, uh, desert recipes?
June 30th, 2006 at 10:40 pm
katie,
we all just found out today that the changes are happening tomorrow. unfortunately, staff/faculty communication and transparency with students isn’t a strength of pts. i have learned that to not stress out too much at pts you have to learn to advocate for yourself (and network with middlers and seniors to learn how to negotiate the various departments, systems, etc.)
will you be joining us for summer language? if not, enjoy your summer and welcome to pts!
thelonebarista (and pts student)
July 1st, 2006 at 10:29 am
are you kidding me?
Just was discussing/arguing this with my wife on a run. Looks like I was wrong (no one tell her).
I have been there multiple times. Last summer it was McCosh, not the ER at the Hospital that diagnosed and healed my Lyme Disease. They ran free X-rays on my sprained shoulder from Flag Football.
Could someone email me (or post) when this comes into effect? Looks like this Hypochondriac will get one last free physical…coughcough.
July 1st, 2006 at 11:57 am
Oh it’s in affect right now. July 1st. Good timing Princeton - notify students the day before.
July 1st, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Sad. I liked McCosh.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:34 pm
here is my humble opinion. I dont think its cool to throw something like that out THE DAY before and expect everybody to be cool with it. Furthermore, we are paying an incredible amount of money for health care considering our age.
I was pretty disappointed after reading that…
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:46 pm
As someone who hates to go to the doctor and avoids it at all costs, this basically means that I will probably pay 2000 some dollars for a service I will not employ at all. Kinda sucks. Call it laziness, but the speed, convenience, and freeness of McCosh were the only reason I ever convinced myself to seek medical attention (even when my fingers were bulbous and purple last year). On the other hand, I’ll probably spend more time praying for my health this year.
July 3rd, 2006 at 2:03 pm
say what you will, but this *is* about helping the students. not the money.
July 3rd, 2006 at 2:07 pm
Jamey - brother- please share how…
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:11 pm
That’s really unbelievable. I’m a graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill, and even though it is not a private school, we have very good insurance and free health center visits. Our fellowships cover everything but $600 a semester in fees, which include our health benefits, gym access, and those all-important Tar Heel basketball tickets (among other things). I’m sorry to hear your bad news, and will stop complaining about our supposedly meagre stipends and benefits!
July 8th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
here’s a report from the field. :-) i went to Princeton Primary and Urgent Care today because I’ve come down with conjunctivitis (common parlance “pink eye”) complements of my little rug rat, i mean daughter :-)
positives: 1.not too far away for either Main or CRWers. it’s just over rt. 1 on Alexander (one could bike if not too ill of course)
2. the nurse and doctor i interacted with were both friendly and thorough.
negatives: 1. i don’t have the PTS plan so my copay was $40 (ouch!)
2. It was a little tricky to find the place. I had to drive around for 5 minutes to find it.