North Valley Hospital recently announced it has liberalized its financial aid policy in an effort to help uninsured and underinsured patients.

Eligibility for financial assistance has been expanded from a maximum of 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines to 400 percent.

All non-elective services qualify for charity care consideration, including services received at NVH outreach clinics. Financial assistance is based on liquid assets and gross monthly income for a household, calculated as a percentage of the 2013 federal poverty guidelines.

Two NVH outreach clinics, North Valley Professional Center in Columbia Falls and North Country Medical Clinic in Eureka, are designated rural health clinics and provide a sliding fee scale based on financial need.

NVH offers assistance to anyone in need, whether or not they have insurance. To be eligible for financial assistance, individuals must demonstrate they have exhausted all other means of assistance, and they must apply for Medicaid and show a Medicaid denial. North Valley personnel can assist individuals in applying for Medicaid.

For patients who are underinsured with limited coverage or large deductibles, NVH offers qualifying patients a 30 percent discount on their balance after insurance has paid, if the account balance is paid in full within 30 days of service.

For fiscal year 2012, NVH provided nearly $2 million in charity care and posted $3.2 million in bad debt for patients unable or unwilling to pay for services. Including contractual discounts, NVH contributed more than $22 million in uncompensated health care to the community.

For more information, call 863-3500.