Nebraska has 93 counties, two time zones and a population packed mostly along the Missouri River and the Interstate 80 corridor. Hospital care looks very different depending on where you live. In Omaha you can choose among several large systems within a short drive. In Ainsworth or Benkelman, one small county hospital may serve a whole region. This page lists 114 hospital records from across the state and explains how the system fits together, so you can find the right facility, understand who oversees it, and know what to do before you arrive.

Who Licenses and Oversees Hospitals in Nebraska

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) licenses hospitals through its Division of Public Health. Licensing falls under the Nebraska Health Care Facility Licensure Act. It sets minimum standards for patient safety, staffing, infection control and the physical building. A facility cannot legally operate as a hospital in the state without that license.

Medicare and Medicaid participation is a separate layer. Hospitals that bill those programs must meet federal conditions of participation set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Many also seek voluntary accreditation from national bodies such as The Joint Commission. Accreditation is a useful quality signal, but it is not the same thing as a state license.

Federal law adds one rule every Nebraskan should know. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), any hospital with an emergency department must screen you and stabilize an emergency condition, whatever your insurance or ability to pay. Billing questions come later.

To check a hospital, start with its own website or billing statement for its exact legal name and owner. Then look up its license through the licensure information on the DHHS website. Hospitals sometimes operate under a brand name that differs from the licensed legal name. That matters when you request records or dispute a bill.

If you have a complaint about care or safety, DHHS accepts complaints about licensed health facilities. The Nebraska Hospital Association, based in Lincoln, represents hospitals as a trade group, but it does not regulate them. Keep those two roles separate when you decide where to send a concern.

Metro Hospital Hubs: Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney

Most of the state's hospital capacity sits in a few places. Douglas County accounts for 19 of our listings, and 18 of those are in Omaha. Methodist Hospital at 8303 Dodge Street (402-354-4000) is one of the best-known general hospitals in west Omaha. Boys Town National Research Hospital - West, at 14000 Boys Town Hospital Road (402-778-6000), is also in Douglas County and focuses on children's health care.

South of Omaha, Sarpy County has four listings. Bellevue Medical Center, listed as Bellevue Medical Center Dba Nebraska Medicine - B, is at 2500 Bellevue Medical Center Drive (402-763-3600). The name ties it to Nebraska Medicine, the system connected to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, the state's main academic medical center.

Metro residents have the most choice, and that choice matters for insurance. Networks differ by health system, so the closest hospital may be out of network for your plan. Check your insurer's directory before a planned procedure. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department and sort out networks afterward.

In Lancaster County, Lincoln has eight listings. CHI Health Nebraska Heart, at 7500 South 91st Street (402-328-3000), is a specialty hospital for cardiac care. Lincoln also hosts the Lincoln Regional Center, a DHHS-run behavioral health facility. It is not an emergency room.

Central Nebraska leans on Buffalo County, where Kearney has six listings. CHI Health Richard Young Behavioral Health, at 1755 Prairie View Place (308-865-2000), provides psychiatric and behavioral care. Grand Island, in Hall County, has the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System site at 2201 North Broadwell Avenue (308-382-3660) for veterans. In the northeast, Faith Regional Health Services at 2700 West Norfolk Avenue in Norfolk (402-371-4880) anchors the region.

Critical Access and County Hospitals Across Rural Nebraska

Outside the metro areas, hospitals look different. Many are small, locally governed and named for their county. Examples include Brown County Hospital in Ainsworth (402-387-2800), Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman (308-423-2204) and Rock County Hospital in Bassett (402-684-3366). Others, like Boone County Health Center in Albion (402-395-2191) and Harlan County Health System in Alma (308-928-2151), use broader health-system names.

Many hospitals of this size use the federal critical access designation. It allows up to 25 inpatient beds, an average stay of 96 hours or less, and round-the-clock emergency care. In return, Medicare pays on a cost basis, which helps small hospitals stay open where patient volume is low. The designation also generally requires a minimum distance from the nearest other hospital, so these facilities exist where the next option is far away.

What does that mean for you? A rural Nebraska hospital typically handles emergencies, short stays, lab work, imaging and clinic visits. Complex surgery, advanced cardiac care and high-risk obstetrics often move to larger centers. Staff arrange the transfer, usually by ground or air ambulance, once your condition is stable.

Many rural hospitals also offer swing beds. These let a patient stay locally for rehabilitation or skilled nursing after an acute illness. That can keep an older relative close to family in a town like Albion or Alma rather than hours away.

The Panhandle adds another wrinkle. Box Butte General Hospital in Alliance (308-762-6660), Chadron Community Hospital and Health Services (308-432-5586) and Morrill County Community Hospital in Bridgeport (308-262-1616) are all in the Mountain time zone. Check the time zone when you call about visiting hours or appointments.

Before You Go: Using a Nebraska Hospital Step by Step

Knowing which door to use saves time and money. Call 911 for chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, serious injuries or trouble breathing. For minor illness, a clinic or urgent care is usually faster and cheaper than an emergency department. If you are unsure, many hospitals and insurers run nurse advice lines.

Bring these items whenever you can:

Cost is the next question. Nonprofit hospitals must have a written financial assistance policy under federal tax rules, and you can ask the billing office for a copy. Hospitals must also post their standard prices online under federal price transparency rules. If you are uninsured and schedule non-emergency care, you can request a good-faith cost estimate in advance.

Nebraska expanded Medicaid to adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level in October 2020. Coverage runs mainly through the Heritage Health managed care program, and you can apply through the DHHS ACCESSNebraska system. Hospital financial counselors often help with applications.

Phone numbers and services change, so call the hospital before a non-emergency visit. Confirm that your insurance is accepted and which departments are open that day. The addresses and phone numbers on this page come from our listings, so a quick call is the best final check.

Hospitals across Nebraska provide a full range of medical services from emergency and trauma care to specialized treatment programs, with public and nonprofit facilities playing a particularly important role in serving uninsured and rural populations throughout the state.

Hospitals locations are available in 78 cities across Nebraska. They are spread across 67 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, which serve as major medical centers with academic teaching hospitals, trauma centers, and specialized treatment facilities for the surrounding region.

Residents of Nebraska should know their nearest emergency room location before a medical crisis occurs, and should check their insurance network to understand which hospitals in the state are covered under their plan.

Hospitals by Counties

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Residents of Nebraska who face large hospital bills should ask about financial assistance programs before the bill goes to collections. Most hospitals are required to notify patients about charity care options, and applications can often be submitted months after a visit.

Browse Hospitals by county across Nebraska to find the nearest location.

Reading the Nebraska Listings: Counties, Names and Where to Start

Hospital listings in Nebraska thin out quickly once you leave the metro areas. Many of the 67 counties in our records have only one or two hospitals, so the county page is often the fastest route to the right phone number and address. Start with the county where you live or will be traveling. Then check the neighboring county, because rural patients cross county lines routinely for specialists, imaging and surgery.

Madison County shows the pattern. Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk draws patients from well beyond the county line, and the county has three listings. Otoe County also has three, including St Mary's Community Hospital at 1314 3rd Avenue (402-873-3321). Our source record shows that hospital's city simply as Nebraska, which refers to Nebraska City, so rely on the street address when you map a route.

Other names worth knowing include Memorial Hospital at 1423 7th Street in Aurora (402-694-3171), Memorial Community Hospital at 810 North 22nd Street in Blair (402-426-2182), and Nemaha County Hospital at 2022 13th Street in Auburn (402-274-4366). Jennie M Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow (308-872-4100) and Callaway District Hospital in Callaway (308-836-2228) are both in Custer County. Several hospitals share similar names, so search by street address and phone number as well as by name.

Always confirm hours and services by phone before a non-emergency trip. A hospital that lists a clinic or specialty service may offer it only on certain days, especially in small towns.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hospitals in Nebraska

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, through its Division of Public Health, licenses hospitals under the Health Care Facility Licensure Act. To check a facility, find its exact legal name on its website or a billing statement. Then look for the license information on the DHHS website or contact the department's licensure unit. Medicare and Medicaid participation is tracked separately by federal regulators. If you have a safety or care complaint, you can file it with DHHS. Accreditation, such as from The Joint Commission, is a voluntary extra and does not replace a state license.

In our records, CHI Health Nebraska Heart at 7500 South 91st Street in Lincoln (402-328-3000) is a specialty hospital for cardiac care. For psychiatric and behavioral health, CHI Health Richard Young Behavioral Health at 1755 Prairie View Place in Kearney (308-865-2000) serves central Nebraska. In a mental health crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. Phone the facility first to ask about admission steps, since specialty and behavioral hospitals often begin with an assessment rather than a simple walk-in visit.

Emergency departments in places like Ainsworth, Benkelman or Bassett are staffed to evaluate and stabilize you. Under the federal EMTALA rules, the hospital must screen you and provide stabilizing treatment regardless of your ability to pay. If you need services it does not offer, such as advanced trauma care or cardiac surgery, staff arrange a transfer to a larger center. That is often in Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney or Grand Island, by ground or air ambulance. Ask staff where you are being sent, and bring your medication list if time allows.

Nebraska expanded Medicaid in October 2020 after voters approved a 2018 ballot measure. Adults ages 19 through 64 with income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify. Children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities have their own eligibility categories. Most members are enrolled in the Heritage Health managed care program. You can apply through the ACCESSNebraska system run by DHHS. Hospital financial counselors often help with applications, so ask at admission. Also confirm that your chosen hospital participates with your specific health plan before a scheduled stay.

The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System has a site in Grand Island at 2201 North Broadwell Avenue (308-382-3660) in our records. The system serves veterans across Nebraska and western Iowa and also has a medical center in Omaha. You must be enrolled in VA health care to use it as your regular provider, and you can apply online or by phone. In a true emergency, go to the nearest hospital rather than driving to a VA site. Notify the VA within 72 hours so the visit can be reviewed for coverage.

Under HIPAA, you have a right to your own records. Contact the hospital's health information management or medical records department, which you can usually reach through the main number. Examples are Methodist Hospital at 402-354-4000 or Beatrice Community Hospital at 402-228-3344. Most hospitals ask for a signed authorization form and photo ID, and many offer a patient portal for faster access. Federal rules generally require a response within 30 days, and fees must be reasonable and cost-based. If you are requesting records for someone else, bring proof that you are their legal representative.