MORE THREAD CREEP, but again it may be useful,
katlaughing and others,

Many hospitals have programs which will discount all or part of your bill, depending on your income. It might be worth asking about. At our hospital it is called "Ohio Free Care". Hospitals also frequently offer discounts to anyone who pays cash. I think our cash rate is about 80%.
For the future, you might look into high-deductible insurance. Some of my patients have it and are well-satisfied. Premiums are much lower. Ideally, one would keep an amount equal to the deductible in a savings account. They will not cover pre-existing conditions.
On another but related topic, the high cost of prescription drugs, remember that medicines are like many other goods in that each incremental increase in quality raises the price dramatically. You want good medicine, but not necessarily the very best. For example, in our area, the very best medicines to lower cholesterol costs about $70 a month or more, depending on the dosage. However, Giant Eagle pharmacy sells an almost-as-good generic for $4 a month. The diabetes medicine Actos can run over $600 for a three-month supply, but metformin, another diabetes medicine is about $12 for a three-month supply at Wal-Mart and K-Mart. The same price differences are true for blood pressure medicine, anti-depressants, antibiotics, etc. TELL your doctor if you are willing to accept an almost-as-good medicine. Sometimes there is no inexpensive alternative, but ususally there is.
Kent