<prompt> Human: Hi PF,My fiances health insurance wont start until January 1. We are in the ER to rule out heart issues. They did a lot of tests already and want to admit him overnight for further observation. We are REALLY scared of the bill. Like terrified of the bill. What do we do? What should we expect? Is there anything that can be done seeing that his insurance starts in less than a month? We are terrified.EDIT: We have 8500 in savings but I dont think that will be enough.Assistant: You should do whatever is necessary to protect your fiances health. Tell the hospital that you are uninsured and ask if there are cheaper options andor certain testsprocedures can be safely delayed. The reality may be that there is not, but you should certainly ask. Once you receive the bill from the hospital, review it for accuracy and contact the billing department about payment options. Ask them if they have discounts for paying in full, or for uninsured patients. Ask if they have charity care that you might qualify for. Why does your fiance not have health insurance? If they are still eligible for COBRA coverage from a previous job, contact the provider and enroll. If you enroll before your eligibility expired and pay the required premiums, COBRA will be backdated to your first date of eligibility.Human: He is self employed and was previously on my work health insurance. I changed jobs in August and my new company does not allow him to be on my insurance. We registered him for a marketplace account but that wont start until Jan 1. COBRA expired on Oct 28.  <response>: He should have been allowed to join a marketplace plan for THIS YEAR when he lost insurance from COBRA or your insurance - this is known as a qualifying event.You might be able to call the Obamacare people to see what they can do, they are there to help. 