<prompt> Human: February of last year I visited the emergency room and as a result received a 1100 bill from the hospital addressed to me. I told my mom about it and she said she would take care of it so I put it out of my mind. Long story short the bill wasnt being paid because my mom wasnt receiving the bill in the mail so she forgot about it and because stupid me did not relay the bills to her. Also, as a side note my parents are notoriously bad with money, so I dont really trust their advice for this situationSo, as of a few months ago I have been contacted by 2 collection agencies that are trying to get 2 different amounts. One for 400 and another for 1100. I wasnt sure how to talk to these people but I ended up telling them they had permission to talk to my parents about the debt. They asked where I worked and I gave them that info as well. They also mentioned that they are non credit reporting. I created an account with credit karma today and theres nothing on it about these collections.They are both trying to get me to set up a payment plan. This level of financial responsibility is completely foreign to me, Im in way over my head and am really freaking out. I dont feel like the way Im handling this issue is correct so Im looking for any advice.Why am I suddenly responsible for my medical bills? I figured the insurance policy holder would be the one to be billed. Also, why are there 2 different amounts from 2 different agencies? What should I do going forward? Should I agree to pay the balances, have them contact my parents and have my parents hopefully pay? How will this affect my credit? Im happy to provide any more information if necessary and am grateful for any responses. Thank you  <response>: Why am I suddenly responsible for my medical bills?Because youre over 18 and an adult.I figured the insurance policy holder would be the one to be billed.The insurance holder likely received an Explanation of Benefits which details what was billed and how much the insurance will pay. The doctors office then sends a bill in the patients name for the patient to pay.Also, why are there 2 different amounts from 2 different agencies?Once debts get sent to collection agencies, it becomes nearly impossible to track them. You should request a debt validation letter in writing from each collection agency. They will then provide documentation of where the debt came from.Should I agree to pay the balances, have them contact my parents and have my parents hopefully pay?Whatever you and your parents decide, your credit is the one being hurt now. Credit Karma takes a while to get updated.How will this affect my credit?Its lowering your credit score since youre not paying your bills. As to how much, no one really knows, credit scores calculations are complicated and mysterious. 