Homeowner living within King County Public Hospital District No. 1, Valley Medical Center, will find it easier than ever to qualify for the Valley Dividend, according to Valley officials.

The Valley Dividend grants a credit based on the tax dollars paid to the hospital district. After all third party and insurance payments have been made, a credit may be applied to out-of-pocket expenses owed to Valley Medical Center. To date in 2010 homeowners in the Valley hospital district have received an average credit of $557.

Effective Aug. 11 these expanded services qualify for credit:

• inpatient hospitalization: 100 percent of outstanding facility charges are eligible for credit;

• emergency department: 100 percent of outstanding facility charges are eligible for credit;

• all other outpatient services including diagnostic imaging, outpatient surgery, observation-status admissions, endoscopy, radiation therapy, rehabilitation services, sleep studies: 50 percent of outstanding facility charges are eligible for credit

To find out if the Valley expenses incurred are eligible for the dividend, see valleymed.org/valleydividend for the specific details of the credit. After receiving the final hospital bill and all insurance, Medicare and other payers have completed their payments, call the Valley Dividend Hotline at 425-656-4058 to apply.