Had the same experiences with a couple surgeries at Mercy last year. I don't know how Cox works but at Mercy the surgeon had a separate office that did billing for his services. I was able to talk to them and make arrangements even if the website made it sound like I couldn't. Also you might try applying for a Carecredit credit card. Those are used specifically for doctor and veterinarian visits not covered by insurance and they have pretty good financing terms.