I have had medical bills all of my life. Lots of them. Here is some of what I have learned:

If you went to a public hospital, please call the hospital and ask for financial aid. Most public hospitals have some federal monies and a financial aid program to help those who are under-insured, have low incomes yet do not qualify for Medicaid, etc. Please call the billing office and ask about financial aid. If they offer this, they will give you forms to fill out. Look into this asap, so it is noted you are wanting/applying for aid with them.

Set up a payment plan, no matter how small. This way, as long as you make your payment on time, you cannot be in default. Many hospitals put liens on properties, so set up an agreement with them, being totally honest about what you can afford. These balances are often without interest, so they are more reasonable than a credit card. Do not mess with them by missing payments, always call them if a payment is going to be late or if, for any reason, it cannot be paid. (Hospitals employ people to file liens on property and they have a contract with a collection agency.)

In addition, hospital bills can often be negotiated, as mentioned above. However, negotiating usually entails being able to pay the negotiated amount immediately.

I hope this helps somehow.

My heart goes out to you.

WC