My spouse was recently hospitalized and we're now in the stage where bills with panic inducing amounts start showing up.
For those outside the U.S., if you have insurance you just have to let it go at this point and NOT PAY ANYTHING until the 3rd or 4rth notice.
Why? So the clinics and insurance agencies DO THEIR JOB and actually pay the freaking claims.
If you pay at this point, they will take your money and never bother checking if your insurance actually covers it.