§ 47-702 — Primary responsibility for payment; reimbursement sources

Primary responsibility for payment of the costs of medical services provided to individuals who are arrested, detained, taken into custody, or incarcerated shall be with the recipients of such services if the recipients are entitled to payment of or reimbursement for the costs of such medical services under the terms and provisions of a policy, subscription, or agreement with an insurer, a health maintenance organization, a preferred provider organization, or another similar source as provided in subdivision (1) of this section. Providers of such medical services shall seek reimbursement from the following sources in the following order:
(1) From an insurer, a health maintenance organization, a preferred provider organization, or other similar source, if the recipient of medical services is entitled to payment of or reimbursement for the costs of such medical services under the terms and provisions of a policy, subscription, or agreement with an insurer, a health maintenance organization, a preferred provider organization, or another similar source. This section does not extend or enlarge the liability of any such insurer, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, or other similar source, and no such insurer, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, or other similar source is responsible for paying or reimbursing any costs of medical services for which it is not otherwise responsible under the terms of the applicable policy, subscription, or agreement. Any individual who is entitled to payment or reimbursement for the costs of medical services under the terms of a policy, subscription, or agreement with an insurer, a health maintenance organization, a preferred provider organization, or other similar source shall cooperate with the providers of such services by making whatever applications, assignment, or other arrangements that are necessary in order to secure payment for the services provided; and
(2) From any other available source, including, when appropriate, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, or other similar source.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1999, LB 112, § 2. Annotations: A recipient of medical services, or the individual's insurer or another available source, is primarily responsible for the payment of medical services. Chase County v. City of Imperial, 302 Neb. 395, 923 N.W.2d 428 (2019).