Sec. 25-61. Noncontract hospitals.

The county is further authorized from time to time to pay cost of care or residents of the county eligible under section 25-58 at hospitals with which the county does not have a contract for care, for emergency admissions, for treatment not obtainable at a contract hospital or for other necessary reasons; provided, that such payment shall not exceed the hospital's audited cost per patient day; provided further, that such payment shall in no event be more than seventeen dollars ($17.00) per patient day.