Is Medicaid available for you? I know when you first get it, they cover past bills for like three months I think. And when I was in IP, a worker came to meet me to set up immediate Medicaid to cover the stay. And one time I was hospitalized because of my ex and there was a program available that covered it because my injuries were from the hands of another person. I think outstanding medical bills are quite a problem for many people. I "heard" that it's often overlooked when it comes to credit but still, it's still debt at the end of the day. I would talk to my insurance co if I were you and research programs like I got.