Patient Information

• Hospital: Our main registration area is located at the front (south) entrance of the hospital. This area is staffed from 7am to 5pm Monday through Friday. The emergency room registration area is on the north side of Cozad Community Hospital and is always staffed with registration staff. Emergency service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Specialty Clinic: (where our specialty providers see patients) located on the east side of the hospital.
• Physical Therapy: located directly to the south of the main hospital entrance and is open 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday
• Cozad Medical Clinic: located at 1803 Papio Lane. Their hours are Monday 8am-5pm, Tuesday-Friday 7am-5pm, and Saturday 9am-noon
• Eustis Medical Clinic: located at 106 E Railroad St. Their hours are Monday 8:30am-3pm, Friday 9am-12pm, and every 2nd Wednesday 9am-12pm.

When arriving for registration, please be sure to bring your insurance cards, drivers license or ID and social security number. If you have a Living Will or Power of Attorney for Health Care, we will be happy to scan it into your permanent record and return it to you immediately. If you will be arriving for surgery, you should be contacted by the surgical department prior to your scheduled surgery date. Please register at the main registration area inside the main doors of Cozad Community Hospital. Do not bring valuables or jewelry.

If you have further questions, please call the Hospital at 308-784-2261. Staff at any of our registration locations will be happy to address your concerns or questions or contact someone on the staff who can best assist you. Our goal is to provide excellent patient-centered care and we will work hard to exceed your expectations.

Many health insurance plans have pre-certification or prior authorization requirements for specific services. Information about these requirements is usually listed on the back of your health care insurance card.  To avoid non-payment or reduction of payments, for which you would be responsible, please refer to your card, your benefits handbook or contact the customer service section of your health plan to inquire about your responsibility to complete these requirements.  Emergency admissions generally allow at least a 24-hour grace period. 

If your insurance card indicates pre-authorization or pre-certification is required, it is your responsibility to contact your insurance company for authorization before you are admitted to Cozad Community Hospital. Failure to obtain this authorization may result in reduced insurance benefits. 

The Cozad Community Health System Billing Department will submit a claim to any insurance company you authorize us to bill.  This will be done shortly after discharge.  After your insurance pays, you will begin receiving statements for the deductible and co-insurance amounts you owe, and payment will be expected within 30 days.  If these amounts are known, please pay them upon dismissal.  If we fail to receive payment from your insurance, you will begin receiving bills for the full amount. Most insurance claims are sent electronically and can be resolved within 30-45 days.  If you received bills which you believe should be covered by insurance, please call Patient Accounts at 308-784-2261 so they can review the status of the account with you.

At Cozad Community Health System, we believe the highest quality of healthcare should be accessible to everyone. We accept many types of insurance plans, including private insurance, PPO’s, Medicare and Medicaid, ChampVA, and Every Woman Matters. If you do not find your insurance plan listed, please contact Patient Accounts at 308-784-2261 to verify your insurance carrier.

Billing statements from Cozad Community Health System cover services provided by the hospital and some professional services (Including ER physicians and Anesthesia) as well as the medical clinic. Some professional fees from surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, etc. will be billed separately.

If you do not have insurance, a bill will be sent shortly after discharge requesting payment of the balance due.

Payment is due and payable at time of service. We understand that meeting medical payment obligations can be challenging and have developed options to accommodate your needs. 

As a not-for-profit hospital, we depend on timely payment of services so we can continue providing progressive, high-quality medical care to our community. Please review the following, decide on a plan that is best for you, and contact Patient Accounts to move forward with a plan.

• Prompt Pay: Payment in full off first statement (within 30 days) receives 10% discount. 
• Normal Pay: Payment in full off second statement (additional 30 days, 60 days total from initial statement) receives no discount and no late fees. 
• Bank Loan Program: (up to 60 months) Cozad Community Health System has partnered with a local bank to offer medical loans at a very low rate! The balance must be greater than $1,000. These loans offer low fixed interest rate for up to 60 months, no prepay penalties and no credit check required! Contact us for more detailed information about this exciting program. 

As a non-profit hospital and as part of our mission, Cozad Community Health System provides Financial Assistance to patients with limited financial means who have exhausted all other sources of payment or assistance. We provide this assistance through our Financial Assistance Program.

Cozad Community Health System does not deny or extend financial assistance on the basis of age, race, creed, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. If you are in need of assistance, please complete the form and return it to the address below. Our Patient Accounts Representative can also be reached by phone or you can stop by the Business Office at the front entrance of the hospital.

Cozad Community Health System
Attn Patient Accounts
PO Box 108
Cozad, NE 69130
308.784.2261

Click here for our Financial Assistance Application

What is a “Surprise Bill”?

A surprise medical bill happens when you get care from a provider or facility outside your health insurance network and you’re billed more than expected.

You’re protected from surprise bills:

Under federal law, you’re protected from surprise billing in these situations:

• Emergency services:
  Even if you get care at an out-of-network hospital or from out-of-network providers during an emergency, you can’t be billed more than in-network costs.
• Non-emergency care at an in-network hospital:
  If you get care at an in-network hospital or facility, but some providers (like an anesthesiologist or radiologist) are not in your network, you can’t be billed extra.

What providers must do:

• Give you a plain-language notice about your rights.
• Post this notice in visible areas and on their website.
• Share this information before you receive services or at the time of care.

What if you choose to see an out-of-network provider?

• You can choose to waive your protections and be billed, but:
• You must receive a written notice and consent form.
• You must sign it at least 72 hours before your appointment.
• This does not apply to emergency services.

Want more details?

Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or refer to 45 CFR §149.430 for the full regulation.

Under the law, health care providers are required to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining how much your medical care will cost.
• Providers and facilities must give you the Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your scheduled service or item. You can also ask for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or call 1-800-985-3059.

Learn more: 45 CFR §149.610

For billing questions, please contact Patient Account Services at 308.784.2261 

There are many forms that require your signature prior to receiving services. In addition, the circumstances associated with your current visit may change the insurance that needs to be filed. For example, suppose you came into the hospital for a laboratory test and, a few days later, you return after being injured on the job. Your work-related injury would likely be covered by your employer's worker's compensation plan, while your lab test may be compensated by your health insurance.

No. However, if you know what your co-pay and deductible are, you should be ready to make that payment. Cozad Community Health System would appreciate full payment at the time of discharge or when services are provided.  There are payment options available if you are unable to pay in full. 

You should contact Patient Accounts by phone at 308.784.2261 to talk about payment options.

Cozad Community Health System has a Patient Financial Assistance Program. Your inability to pay for care should not prevent you from receiving medically necessary services. To learn more about our payment options you can call our Patient Accounts Representatives at 308.784.2261

Cozad Community Health System accepts payments made by cash, check, money order, and credit cards. We accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover.

Payments may be made via the following:

• By Mail: Use the return envelope that came with your billing statement to make a payment by check, money order or credit card. Or mail to:
  Cozad Community Health System
  Attn: Patient Accounts
  PO Box 108
  Cozad, NE 69130
• In Person: Stop by our Patient Accounts at 300 East 12th St, Cozad to make a payment in person. 
• By Phone: Credit card payments can be made by calling a Patient Accounts Representative at 308.784.2261
• Online: Click here for online bill pay.

The statement you will receive from Cozad Community Hospital is for your hospital care.  Physicians, excluding the emergency, and CRNA, involved in your care will bill you separately from the hospital. These physicians may include pathologists, surgeons, cardiologists, radiologists, and other specialists.  If you have any questions about your bills, please call the number listed on the statement.

Many insurance companies have amounts which the patient must pay. These are called deductible, co-pay, or co-insurance payments. If your insurance plan requires you to pay a deductible and co-insurance, the balance will be billed to you.  You will also be billed for any other amounts not covered by your insurance.  If you have a question about why your insurance company did not pay part of a claim, you should call your health insurance company directly.

The specific requirements and responsibility for completing pre-certification or notification depend on several things: 

• Contract agreements between Cozad Community Health System and your insurance company
• The requirements as defined by your insurance or employer group plan. 

If you have questions about your responsibility for completing these requirements, you should contact your insurance company directly. You may have to pay a higher deductible or coinsurance amount if these steps are not completed.

These are documents showing a detailed listing of how your insurance company processed your claim or bill. An EOB or EOP is mailed by your insurance company directly to you and Cozad Community Health System.