All of these other posters are correct.
Ask at the hospital for a lower amount of money.

Don’t jump into bankrupcy just yet. The hospital can help, the government will sometimes help, there are agencies that can help you and charities as well. Please see the link below for more detailed information.

I was struggling to take care of myself a few years ago. I had an emergency hospital bill for myself. I had no money left after paying my bills. The hopital completely wrote the hospital bill off . I had to fill out paper work to prove my bills, and income. I ask them who paid my hospital bill, they said the hospital absorbed it. Man what a relief. So apply at the hospital and see if they can help you Don’t ignore this bill when you may be able to get help, and not have to bankrupt.

Try contacting the hospital’s billing department to see what programs they might have to help reduce the bills. They have them, they just don’t like to make it public knowledge that these programs are available. Last July I ended up in the E.R. with a gallbladder attack and in November my hubby had to have some tests done in the hospital. The bills were about $6,000, and they reduced them by 83% because we qualified.