As you know, over the past year, Bates has made a number of enhancements at Health Services to strengthen the quality of care provided to our students. These changes included:

• Renovating the facility
• Expanding on-site diagnostic testing
• Providing pharmacy services
• Accessing physicians
• Implementing an electronic medical records system
• Providing consistent and reliable hours of operation, which included Increased hours of operation during some of the academic breaks
• Providing clearance exams for student-athletes

Our clinical partnership with Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) is what enabled us to make all of these improvements. Based on student surveys, small group conversations, and other direct feedback, we continue to strengthen the services offered at Health Services.

As we work to improve these services, and with the necessary infrastructure now in place, we will begin insurance billing for care received at Health Services beginning with the fall 2017 semester. To ensure access to care for all of our students, the college will cover co-pays and co-insurance up to $45.00 for each student visit to Health Services.

You may have several questions about this change or the continued partnership with CMMC and we encourage you to explore the Health Services website and the FAQs.  Please do not hesitate to send any inquiries you may have to healthservices@bates.edu. Finally, during the first week of classes, we will be offering drop-in hours to answer any questions you may have.  These drop-in hours will be advertised in Bates Today.